Older Women's Network
Older Women’s Network New South Wales Inc
87 Lower Fort Street Millers Point NSW 2000
ABN 36 992 030 904
Funded by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
Project funding from the NSW Department of Health. Special Assistance from the City of Sydney
Embargoed until 20 July 1pm
Older Women’s Homelessness Set to Increase
‘The Disappearing Age’: uncovering homelessness of older women.
Advance notice of launch 1pm, 20 July 2009 by Minister for Women
The Older Women’s Network NSW (OWN NSW) has expressed alarm at the neglect of
homeless older women in Australia, and believe that, despite the commitment of the Federal
Government to reducing homelessness, older women maybe neglected again.
The
Disappearing Age highlights the failure of the specialist homeless accommodation system to
meet the needs of older women.
The Disappearing Age
Report will be launched by the Hon Verity Firth, NSW Minister for
Women at 1pm, 20 July 2009, at the Older Women’s Network State Conference, MacDonald
Room, Sancta Sophia College, Missenden Road, Camperdown NSW.
Violence against older women is a significant problem, with one in four women reporting
recent physical assault in their homes aged 45 years and older. Yet there is a mismatch
between the problem and the support.
‘There are now more older women in specialist homelessness accommodation services than
older men, but not one funded service specifically for them. Less than 3% of the specialist
homelessness accommodation services funding is for single women’s services’ said Ludo
McFerran, author of the report.
‘Older women have to live with much younger women or in men’s services. They are well
down the ladder in terms of priority. This is often not safe or appropriate for them. Many of
these are women have survived a lifetime of abuse and trauma. Interesting, more older
women than younger women cite domestic violence as their main reason for needing
supported accommodation’.
OWN NSW is concerned that the Commonwealth’s definition of homelessness
underestimates the number of older homeless women, largely because of their low visibility.
Older Women's Network
Older Women’s Network New South Wales Inc
87 Lower Fort Street Millers Point NSW 2000
ABN 36 992 030 904
Funded by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
Project funding from the NSW Department of Health. Special Assistance from the City of Sydney
‘Older homeless women remain very hidden: it is dangerous for them to sleep rough or to stay
in boarding houses.
“We are now undertaking a project with Homelessness NSW and St Vincent de Paul Society
to map and uncover the levels of older women’s homelessness. The important investment
being made by the Government to reduce homelessness must ensure that these older
homeless women also benefit’ said Ms McFerran
OWN NSW warns that the problem will only get worse. Predictions are that a significant
number of single women approaching the pension age are slipping down the housing
affordability ladder towards homelessness.
‘Single women in their late fifties and early sixties have not had the time to set aside the
required levels of superannuation to ensure a comfortable retirement. Economic and social
disadvantage still means that women earn less, save less and retire on less. This is a group
at real risk of becoming the next homeless wave’ said Ms McFerran.
Hard copies of
The Disappearing Age
will be available at the Launch.
Ludo McFerran (Report Author) 0423231058
Dr. Sonia Laverty (Project Manger) 0408653923
NEWS 
