The Hidden Crisis: Why a Lifetime of Hard Work is Ending in Homelessness for WA’s Older Women
A historic number of senior single women are being pushed into the shadows of invisible homelessness in Western Australia. This is largely due to historically-low vacancy rates of rentals; late-in-life break down of relationships; and vast discrepancies in wealth when it comes to the distribution of retirement funds. These women are then forced to navigate an often-punitive welfare system from behind the wheel of their car. Front-line housing case workers and lived-experience advocates say if there isn't significant investment from government in providing social housing, one random unexpected event in each woman's life will likely blow out her ability to provide herself with a basic level of financial security.
