THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN WORKING WITH OLDER WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING, OR AT RISK OF, HOMELESSNESS6 AUGUST 2018
This paper has been endorsed by:
INTERNATIONAL LONGEVITY CENTRE
AUSTRALIA
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© Australian Association of Gerontology 2018
Suggested citation: Australian Association of Gerontology (2018)
Things to consider when working with older women who are
experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. Melbourne.
2 Older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness
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Acknowledgement of Country
Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG) acknowledges
Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and
recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and
communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders both past and present.
For further information see AAG’s Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Ageing Advisory Group (ATSIAAG).
Sponsor
This paper was funded by the Australian Government
through the Dementia and Aged Care Services fund.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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This paper was developed by Dr Sandra South, Senior Policy
and Research O�cer at AAG, with input, feedback and
support from the following individuals:
u James Beckford Saunders, Chief Executive O�cer of
AAG
u Kathy Bell, Senior Policy and Research O�cer at AAG
u Jan Berriman, Director of National Housing at YWCA
Australia
u April Bragg, Client Services Manager at Housing for the
Aged Action Group (HAAG)
u Professor Julie Byles, Past President and Honorary Life
Fellow of AAG, Head of the International Longevity
Centre-Australia, Global Innovation Chair in Responsive
Transitions in Health and Ageing, Director of Research
Centre for Generational Health and Ageing at The
University of Newcastle
u Dr Alice Clark, Executive Director at Shelter SA
u Dr Victoria Cornell, AAG member and Convenor of
AAG’s Housing and Built Environment Special Interest
Group, Postdoctoral Fellow at CHURP at the University
of Adelaide, and Home Share Project Manager at ECH
u Maria Cozzi, Housing Support Worker at Housing for the
Aged Action Group (HAAG)
u Kelli Dendle, AAG member and PhD Candidate at
the Institute for Future Environments at Queensland
University of Technology
u Frances Every, Homelessness Support Service Worker
u Dr Debbie Faulkner, AAG member, Deputy Director of
the Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning
(CHURP) at the University of Adelaide, and Joint Project
Leader for the Older Persons Homelessness Prevention
Project- a collaboration between CHURP and HAAG
funded by The Wicking Trust
u Je� Fiedler, AAG member, National Development
Worker at Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG)
and Joint Project Leader for the Older Persons
Homelessness Prevention Project- a collaboration
between CHURP and HAAG funded by The Wicking
Trust
u Michael Horn, Michael Horn Consulting
u Kate Incerti, Team Leader Housing and Homelessness
Council of Port Phillip
u Robin Inglis, Policy O�cer at Seniors Rights Victoria
u Jeanette Large, Chief Executive O�cer at Women’s
Property Initiatives (WPI)
u Bryan Lipmann AM, Chief Executive O�cer of
Wintringham
u Dini Liyanarachchi, Senior Policy O�cer at Mission
Australia
u Bernadette Maheandiran, Policy O�cer at Seniors Rights
Victoria
u Dr Maree Petersen, AAG member and Senior Lecturer in
Social Work at The University of Queensland
u Adrian Pisarski, Executive O�cer of National Shelter
u Jacquelin Plummer, Head of Policy and Advocacy at
Mission Australia
u Dr Harriet Radermacher, AAG member and Director at
Radermacher and Associates
u Felicity Reynolds, Chief Executive O�cer of Mercy
Foundation
u Tonye Segbedzi, Senior Policy and Research O�cer at
AAG
u Dr Andrea Sharam, Design and Social Context, School of
Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT
University
u Liz Syngajewski, Manager Client Services Common
Ground Housing Choices South Australia
u Dr Margaret Ward, Co-Convenor of Australian Network
for Universal Housing Design and Research Fellow at
Gri�th University
u Gemma White, Community Education Worker at
Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG)
CONTRIBUTORS
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ABOUT THIS PAPERThis document outlines issues for practitioners and service providers to consider when working with older women who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. It is targeted primarily at practitioners and service providers who are not experienced with, or specialists, in providing services to older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. Therefore, it should be used as a primer and further information should be sought before providing advice to clients.
This document is based on the evidence summarised in the companion Background Paper–Older women who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. The Background Paper should be read when more information and detail is required. The accompanying Position Paper of the same name, with key recommendations to Australian governments, may also be relevant.
In all its work including this paper, AAG adopts an inclusive definition of womanhood which includes self-perception and/or perception by others as a woman, including a person’s appearance, expression, identity or physical characteristics, that may be in accord with or opposed to, their physical anatomy, chromosomal sex or sex assigned at birth.
For the purposes of this paper, AAG defines “older women” as women aged 50 years or older, or from 45 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in line with international research evidence and Australian aged care service legislation for people who have experienced homelessness (1).
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i. You could start by looking at Figure 1 and reading the AAG Background Paper on older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, which includes references to research evidence.
ii. More information on the risk factors for homelessness experienced more often by older women than older men can be found in Figure 1 and the AAG Background Paper on older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.
6 Older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness
Stop and reflect on your own potential prejudices and biases
Be aware of your own potential prejudices and biases, as this will likely a�ect the quality of the services you provide. You can challenge yourself by keeping up to date on research exploring the issues faced by, and needs of, older women at risk of homelessness.i The following points challenge prejudices and biases that research has shown people commonly have (2–4):
u All older women do not have the same pathway to homelessness (5,6), and therefore do not have the same needs.
Many older women are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness due to a single event such as an increase in rent, eviction notice or reduction in income (7). Research shows that a�ordable housing is one of the key drivers of homelessness in Australia.ii
Older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness may not have complex needs; the only service they need may be access to a�ordable, appropriate and secure housing (8,9).
Older women experiencing homelessness do not necessarily have a history of repeated or extended homelessness, women are more likely than men to experience homelessness for the first time later in life (5,10,11).
u International human rights law recognises everyone’s right to adequate housing, interpreted broadly as the right to live somewhere in security, peace and dignity (12,13).
A person’s pathway into being at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness does not a�ect their right to adequate housing.
u Do not assume family and friends will provide housing or expect them to do so:
Women should not be forced to exhaust their social networks before receiving services, even if their social networks are happy to o�er this support.
Accessing social networks may also be a source of stress and vulnerability, putting older women at risk of abuse.
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN WORKING WITH OLDER WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING, OR AT RISK OF, HOMELESSNESS
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Homelessness is a gendered issue–be sensitive to this
The gendered nature of homelessness, including older people’s homelessness, is widely acknowledged in the research literature (2,14,15).
u Older women in Australia are particularly at risk of experiencing homelessness for the first time in later life due to the socioeconomic landscape they inhabit, including gendered caregiving expectations and the fact that women live longer than men, on average (16–18).
u This gendered socioeconomic risk is multiplied by the lack of a�ordable housing suitable for older Australians.ii
Older women at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness often face compounded stigma due to their age, gender and homelessness, as well as the expectations by society that women should play a caregiving role and represent ‘home’ (3,6,14,19,20).
u While acknowledging that there is a need for services and support specific to older women, there must also be an acknowledgement that older women have diverse life experiences and needs (5,15,21), including their:
cultural backgrounds,
sexual identities,
disabilities,
health care needs,
housing needs,
support needs and desired level of independence, including the need for supports
to ensure social connectedness.
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8 Older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness
Think about the language you are using
u Begin by building trust and rapport before tackling issues related to homelessness, e.g. through chatting about a shared interest in a casual setting (22).
u Avoid using the term “homeless” as many older women may not relate to this word, especially if they are living with family and friends, in unfit housing, or in their car or caravan. Discussions framed around “housing needs” (15), or a casual discussion of their current housing may be more appropriate.
Ask the right questions
u A person-centred and relational approach that aims to identify and meet an older woman’s unique and personal needs and wishes is essential (23–26).
u Never assume that an older woman will raise concerns about her housing needs with you. They might not feel comfortable asking for help, might not realise they need help, or might not realise you may be able to help them or point them to other services that can help them.
u An assessment of older women’s housing situations should be incorporated in an appropriate manner into all contacts with older women seeking services and support, as many of the issues that lead people to seek help (e.g. loss of function, poor health, bereavement, abuse) are risk factors for homelessness and may also negatively a�ect their health and wellbeing.
Familiarise yourself with the services available to support older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness
Recognise that generalist homelessness or specialist services for other cohorts such as younger people may not to be appropriate for older people at risk of homelessness (22,27). Conversely, many aged care services may not be able to provide appropriate services for older people facing homelessness (28).
u Older women at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness (50 years or older or 45 years for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women) should be referred to aged care services specialising in working with older people facing homelessness. However, it must be acknowledged that there is a lack of such services.iii
iii. More information on the risk factors for homelessness for older women and current services in Australia can be found in Figure 1 and the AAG Background Paper on older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.
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Lack of a�ordable, appropriate and secure housin
g
RISK OFHOMELESSNESS
FOR OLDER WOMENLack o
f inform
ation and support to access a�ordable, appropriate
and s
ecur
e h
ou
sin
g
Low
er s
oci
oec
onom
ic st
atus th
an men, leading to lower levels of savings an
d su
per
Substance addiction
Loss of income
Relationship breakdowns
Childhood trauma/
disruptionProviding
housing to family and
kin
Trauma
Poor physical
and mental health
Living alone
Ethnicity
Exhausting social
networks
Loss of partner
Reluctance to seek formal
support
Abuse
Sudden illness/
accident
Figure 1. Summary of the risk factors contributing to homelessness in older women in Australia. The overarching and multiplying risk factors that a�ect all older women are the lack of information and access to a�ordable, appropriate and secure housing and the lower socioeconomic status of women when compared to men.
Green circles represent the individual risk factors that contribute to homelessness in some older people, regardless of their gender.
Orange circles represent the individual risk factors that are more likely to contribute to homelessness in some older women when compared to older men.
Reproduced from AAG Background Paper (2018) Older women who are experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.
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10 Older women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessnessOlder women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness
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2. Sharam A. A predictable crisis: older, single women as the new face of homelessness [Internet]. Swinburne Institute for Social Research; 2010 Jun [cited 2018 Apr 15]. Available from: http://www.apo.org.au/node/22195
3. Kane MN, Green D, Jacobs RJ. Perceptions of Students about Younger and Older Men and Women who May Be Homeless. J Soc Serv Res. 2010;36(4):261–77.
4. Wesley Mission. Perceptions of homelessness ins Australia. How to make our compassion count [Internet]. 2018 May [cited 2018 May 24]. Available from: https://www.wesleymission.org.au/assets/Media/News-and-publications/Publications-and-resources/Wesley-Report/2018-Wesley-Mission-Perceptions-of-Homelessness-Report.pdf
5. Petersen M, Parsell C, Phillips R, White G. Preventing first time homelessness amongst older Australians [Internet]. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, The University of Queensland; 2014 Jun [cited 2018 Apr 7]. (AHURI Final Report). Report No.: 222. Available from: https://www.ahuri.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/2128/AHURI_Final_Report_No222_Preventing-first-time-homelessness-amongst-older-Australians.pdf
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15. Petersen M, Parsell C. Older Women’s Pathways out of Homelessness in Australia. Report for the Mercy Foundation. [Internet]. Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR), The University of Queensland; 2014 Feb [cited 2018 Apr 7]. Available from: https://www.mercyfoundation.com.au/wp-content/uploads/_cknw/files/FINAL%20Feb%202014%20Petersen%20%20Parsell%20Older%20women’s%20pathways%20out%20of%20homelessness.pdf
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16. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Health-adjusted life expectancy in Australia: expected years lived in full health 2011 [Internet]. Australian Government; 2017 [cited 2018 Apr 10]. (Australian Burden of Disease Study series). Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/burden-of-disease/health-adjusted-life-expectancy-australia/contents/table-of-contents
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23. Moxley DP, Washington OGM, Calligan HF. Narrative insight into risk, vulnerability and resilience among older homeless African American women. Arts Psychother. 2012 Nov;39(5):471–8.
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25. Washington OGM, Moxley DP. Development of a Multimodal Assessment Framework for Helping Older African American Women Transition Out of Homelessness. Smith Coll Stud Soc Work. 2009;79(2):103–24.
26. Washington OGM, Moxley DP, Garriott L, Crystal JP. Building a responsive network of support and advocacy for older African American homeless women through developmental action research. Contemp Nurse. 2009;33(2):140–60.
27. Older Person’s Housing Coalition. A home for life: Towards an older persons housing strategy [Internet]. Housing for the Aged Action Group; 2016 Nov [cited 2018 Jun 19]. Available from: https:// www.oldertenants.org.au/sites/default/files/older_persons_housing_strategy_nov_2016.pdf
28. Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG). Reform of the Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged (ACHA) Program.
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THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN WORKING WITH OLDER WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING, OR AT RISK OF, HOMELESSNESS6 AUGUST 2018
This paper has been endorsed by:
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Australian Association of Gerontology
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Telephone: +61 3 8506 0525
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