In June, Lou’s Place had the opportunity to attend Parliamentary Friends at NSW Parliament House under the banner of “Empowering Older Women”. It provided an informal setting for non-partisan Members of NSW Parliament and community sector leaders to come together to learn more about the issues facing older women in Australia.
Mandy, our CEO, shared some sobering statistics with the audience:
- Older women are the fastest growing demographic of people experiencing homelessness in Australia.
- This is driven by systemic wealth gaps, a lack of superannuation, the rising cost of living, and higher rates of single parent households.
- Women over 55 were the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness between 2011 and This group increased by 48% in NSW.
- Domestic and family violence (DFV) is the major cause of elder abuse leading to homelessness.
- Loneliness and social isolation significantly impact the mental and physical health of older women.
- Research has estimated that around 240,000 Australian women aged 55+ are at risk of homelessness, with many experiencing “hidden homelessness” such as couch surfing, staying with family, or living in insecure housing.
- Approximately 1 in 7 people experiencing homelessness in Australia are now aged 55 or older.
Lou’s Place was very grateful for the opportunity to have a discussion with NSW MPs about how Lou’s Place works to address the issues facing older women, and how we as a community can work together to support each other.