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'Meanwhile use' properties offer potential as a short-term solution to social housing needs
A vacant Sydney nursing home awaiting redevelopment has been lent to a women's shelter, with experts claiming examples like this could offer a short-term solution to Australia's lack of public housing. It is designed to bridge the gap between crisis accommodation and permanent living.
2019
Themes:
A Home for the Ages: Planning for the Future with Age-Friendly Designs
England has a rapidly ageing society. Within five years the over 60s will make-up over 25% of its population, and this is a trend that is set to accelerate. Despite this, little thought has been given to how the housing need of the population is going to change.
This report focuses on those over the age of 55, as it is often the age at which residents qualify to enter retirement housing.
2019
Why more older Australians are living in shared housing
An increasing number of older Australians are living in share housing. A relatively new group to emerge on the share-housing scene, they are choosing to share for financial reasons, but finding unexpected social benefits.
Share housing across all age groups shows it’s mainly driven by financial constraints. In older age, the experience of this is gendered.
2019
Themes:
Housing in an ageing Australia: Nest and nest egg?
Homeownership serves multiple purposes over the life cycle: It acts as a home as well as a store of wealth to guarantee financial security in retirement. Its lack in old age compromises security of both tenure and finances. Much has been written about housing and homeownership. Here we apply the prism of population ageing to bring new insights to the topic.
This brief is in three parts.
2019
New door opens for older women facing homelessness in Canberra
YWCA Canberra has launched "Next Door", a new wrap-around support service to help older women at risk of homelessness navigate a path back to secure housing.
2019
Housing Crisis: Young People Pushing Older Women Into Homelessness
Older women are Australia's fastest growing group of homeless people and the lack of affordable housing is a major factor in the rapid increase.
The number of homeless women over 55 has increased by a whopping 31 percent since 2011. Other demographics of homeless people have increased by just 14 percent since then.
2019
Fall in ageing Australians’ home-ownership rates looms as seismic shock for housing policy
Outright home ownership has long been regarded as a supporting pillar of Australian retirement incomes policies.
2019
Themes:
House-sitting on the rise for older people in financial stress or on verge of homelessness
The article looks at house-sitting as an option for the housing crisis faced by an increasing number of older people in Australia.
2019
What Comes After #MyMum – Preventing Homelessness Amongst Australia's Older Women
Older women now represent the fastest growing cohort of Australia’s homeless. In the ACT between 2016-17, women accounted for more than half of the people accessing specialist homelessness and housing services. Compounding an already precarious situation, older women will often find themselves at the mercy of the private rental market.
2019
‘I really have thought this can’t go on’: loneliness looms for rising numbers of older private renters
Loneliness is increasingly recognised worldwide as a critical social issue and one of the major health hazards of our time. Our research shows older private renters are at high risk of loneliness and anxiety. This is a growing concern as more Australians are renting housing later in life.
2019
Themes:
"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."