Our organisation supports an Agenda for Ageing in Victoria that will guide practical and timely action to improve the quality of life for all Victorians as we age.
This month we talk to the volunteers and staff at the Barkly St Food Bank, recent winners of this year's Molly Hadfield award, named for the HAAG founder and celebrating outstanding services to older tenants.
This month we talk to HAAG member Vijay about her experiences as a radio host in India as well as her housing struggles in Australia. Gemma tells us about a new project to increase involvement of people from CALD backgrounds at HAAG. Shane gives an update on HAAG's retirement housing project including important casework and lobbying work.
"There has been increasing awareness of the statistics of women aged 55 and over experiencing homelessness in Victoria and Australia more broadly. The 2014 report ‘Older Women’s Pathways Out of Homelessness in Australia’ found that women in this age group may have limited superannuation, minimal work experience and potentially inadequate financial literacy from time unemployed due to caring responsibilities and unpaid labour. Therefore many older single women may be living off welfare payments with minimal savings while renting in the unaffordable and unsustainable private rental market. The 2014 report states that older women are more likely to be the ‘invisible homeless’, both physically and statistically; more likely to couch surf, live in their car or at home under threat of violence than be sleeping rough. This physical and statistical invisibility means that appropriate and specific services, support, referrals and housing are minimal. It also means on a policy level there is limited government understanding of what is needed to not only support older women out of homelessness, but prevent homelessness or housing instability occurring in the first place. "
Shane talks to Maurine, a retirement village resident who's been trying to get management to fix a leak in her unit for over six months. Why is it so hard to resolve disputes in retirement villages? Plus, how she avoided the boot factory as an adolescent. We also hear from a couple of happy HAAG members about their experiences of homelessness and housing stress, and how things worked out for them.
"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."