Older women are quickly going homeless I Short documentary | The Feed

Many people in Australia are facing homelessness, but the the fastest growing demographic of Australia's homelessness population is older women.

Since this documentary was made in 2015, a housing crisis has developed in Australia.

0:00 It could be your mum, your grandma, or you
1:15 How Kaye became homeless
2:20 House sitting for safety
2:45 Why homelessness is growing for older women
3:43 House sharing as an older woman
5:33 What needs to change
6:11 The government's response
6:46 The statistics
7:01 What they'd do differently
7:35 A financial advisor's perspective
8:36 Policy problems

[MariaProvenzano-if]

Im 70 and im watching I was married for 30 years, then my marriage ended and I was standing at Centre link!!! Very scary and no light at the end of the women working NEED to think ahead and make sure to build up a secure financial backup!! And always have access to your own money!!! It's a fundamental must!!

[maireadheffernan]

My father always advised to plan for the future and save. I started my private pension at 24, got a mortgage at 25, paid it off at 45. Never rely on someone else to provide for your future

[vuuboo]

I knew an 85yr old woman who's worked her whole life and could only afford to rent a shared room in a sober living house. These types of houses stuff two people in one room and 4 beds in the master bedroom. This is the new normal in America. They've turned housing into jails.

[ligbzd]

This will never happen to cultures where families live together. They learned the skills of cooperation, compromise, compassion, and teamwork. It's not about individualism, but thriving and surviving well as a family group where no one is left behind alone.

[deborahcurtis]

8 years ago and the situation has deteriorated radically.

[allthingsnu]

I don't understand how a mother who committed her life to raising children ends up homeless. Yes, the husband is no longer in the picture... but where are the children?

[genevievedolan]

I have been in this situation. Now fortunately I have a senior apartment. An important issue I think, is for many women who are entering retirement age now, there just were not pathways to saving, or build retirement funds. We were caught between the old notions of being wives and mothers and dependent on husbands for financial security and the new roles for women to also be workers and responsible for planning for their own old age as well as being mothers and carers. Hopefully as the coming generations of women age, they will be better prepared, and the role of mother and carer will be compensated, or at least acknowledged better, and so be reflected in social security etc. My heart goes out to all the women who find themselves in this position and feel ashamed. The shame does not belong with you. It belongs to society which has failed us by not adaquately acknowledging and compensating the work we have done all our lives.

[blackcotton]

My gf I went through nursing school with, divorced, and after 20 years of bouncing around apartments, she got tired of "being a nunsiance", she held a G to her head and did it. I told her she could live with me, but she said she wanted her own house and didn't want to depend on me when times got bad. That was 22 years ago. I miss her.

[kazzy]

The neglect of our older woman is absolutely shameful.
How sad it is that those who have been mothers, carers and nurturers through their lives are left out in the cold in their older years.

[kathymorris]

When I was in high school I don’t remember them ever teaching us on retirement. I wish I had known. I would have done things so differently.

[nygrl]

As a single mother I constantly had to cash out any retirement, savings, stocks I had accumulated in order to keep a roof over our heads. Now as a retiree my kids have turned their backs on me. I can't believe I sacrificed my own security for these self centered people. But that's what a good mother does.

[robynjefferson]

😊Women accepted the myth that men would look after them in exchange for making a home and having their children. Society let them down. Teach your girls to get an education and a career. They cant count on someone else to do it for them.

[yvonneprimeau]

Why don’t 2 or 3 older women get together to share a house and pool their resources ? It’s better than being homeless.

[beverlymcleod]

I would never and have never relied on anyone for my livelihood. At the end of the day the person who has vowed to love and take care of you, could say I want out. Then where does that leave you. Always maintain some kind of job, even if it's part-time.

[rdhawke]

I’m there, family knows but is no help to me. I will have a place to go but while it’s good and I’m grateful, it isn’t what I wanted for myself. My life went in the crapper when I got cancer. That’s gone but so is my home and real independence with it. It’s very difficult to start over when you’re almost 79yo.

[lesimkien]

Unless sickness happened. DEPEND on no one but yourself.

[LuisaLoren]

I'm 73 and have been homeless over 5 years on and off. I sleep in shopping center parking lots to save money. I will probably sell my 20 year old car soon. So I will have to do plan B. My only friend is Jesus and I believe He will take care of me.

[MiskimVeniceJohnson]

My heart weeps😢. It could be any of us at any time and moment 😢❤ thank you for your enlightment.

[Notyourgirl]

I work in a truck stop. I see so many mature women homeless. Their husbands have died and they’ve lost their homes. Their kids have stolen from them. They are on fixed incomes and rents have risen. Husbands have died and their companies have denied pensions to the spouses…. You would never guess these women are homeless, they can’t even believe it. It’s very sad.

[brindacockburn]

Young women should watch this...to learn you cannot depend on marriage for security.