Alice worked hard all her adult life, now she has nowhere to go  

The report revealed that that older women (aged 55 or over) was just short of doubling in just over 10 years from 7,300 women in 2011–12 to 14,400 women in 2022–23. 

Given the ongoing shortage of affordable housing, the ageing population and the significant gap in wealth accumulation between men and women across their lifetimes, this is a trend that is sadly likely to continue for many women in the years to come.

Alice is one of these women. Her story is one of resilience and strength while facing some extremely challenging circumstances.  

After her divorce,  Alice was left with crippling debt and the burden of paying off what was once her dream car, which she eventually had to sell to maintain a good credit rating. A financial counsellor helped her navigate her debt, but the road to stability was far from easy.

Unable to afford the rental she once shared with her husband, Alice moved into her friend’s house but her living situation soon became increasingly difficult when her friends husband found the living situation to be too challenging. With nowhere else to go, Alice lived in her car. Soon after she lost her job.

Without other sources of support such as Tranby House, she wouldn’t have been able to shower or do her laundry. Thankfully, she is now living in transitional housing thanks to Uniting WA. However, the options for women over 55 who find themselves without permanent accommodation are very few. Alice shares a house with four other women, some of whom have come from domestic violence situations, while another like her, have found themselves spiralling into debt after divorce and then hit with the cost-of-living crisis.

Throughout these hardships, Foodbank has been a huge help and a comfort to Alice. She says, “Without Foodbank, there would be weeks that I would not be able to eat three meals a day. The cost-of-living crisis is out of control and so is the rental market. It’s impossible to navigate let alone try to get back on top.” Alice has had to skip meals a lot, but Mobile Foodbank has provided her with much-needed relief. “Foodbank takes the pressure off. It’s one less thing for me to worry about. I am so grateful,” she adds.

Everyone needs a safe and secure home, where we can live close to family and friends, especially as we grow older. It’s shameful that many older women are now facing an insecure future of homelessness and housing instability.

The 2016 Census showed that older women were the fastest growing group to experience homelessness in Australia. The number of women over 55 experiencing homelessness increased by 31% to 6,866, compared to 2011. The 2021 Census reported an increase of 6.6% to 7,325 women over 55 experiencing homelessness.

Research shows that most women experiencing homelessness have never been homeless before. This person could be your sister, aunt, mother or grandmother.

Alice’s story highlights the critical role that we play in supporting individuals facing financial hardship and housing instability and highlights the importance of having accessible support systems in place to help those in need navigate their way to a more stable and secure future.