Women over 55 considered at higher risk of homelessness, says Tasmanian Council of Social Service

A middle-aged woman has spoken about the barriers to finding a housemate after separating, with the state’s peak body for welfare issues revealing that cohort is at higher risk of homelessness.

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KIM Valentine is 62, recently separated and looking for a housemate.

She doesn’t yet want to go into a retirement village, and cannot afford to pay for a rental unit of her own.

After six months of actively searching — using platforms such as Flatmates, Downsizing, Gumtree, Facebook and Google searches — she is no closer to finding a housemate.

Mrs Valentine says the overwhelming majority of advertisements she has come across have wanted to live with someone younger.

Kim Valentine. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

She is part of a cohort that is considered to be at most risk of homelessness, according to Tasmania’s Council of Social Service.

“A lot of people my age, maybe they are too embarrassed to actually admit that they are separated or divorced,’’ Mrs Valentine said.

“It’s still a little bit of a stigma, I feel.

“They think once you hit 55, you should be nipping into a retirement village, but I’m not ready for that.” Mrs Valentine lived with her daughter for a time, and is now living with her elderly mother-in-law, but she is keen to have her own space.

The fact she has a pet cat has also complicated the search for an affordable rental.

“It’s not right for anybody to be homeless, but I thought how quickly you could go from being in a home to being homeless,’’ she said.

“My mother-in-law is very good and she wouldn’t throw me out.

“But I just think, I cannot be the only person in Hobart that is divorced, separated or widowed [and in this position].”

TasCOSS chief executive Adrienne Picone said before the coronavirus crisis, women made up for 55 per cent of presentations to homelessness services in Tasmania.

Ms Picone said nationally, women 55 and over were at higher risk of homelessness than others.

“Women’s vulnerability to precarious housing has increased further under the COVID-19 economic shutdown,’’ she said.

“Increasing supply of affordable housing stock is one key solution our government can choose to invest in and which has positive impacts for Tasmanians, both socially and economically.

“The state government can also address the issue of housing stress by working across industries to encourage secure employment opportunities and career pathways for women.”

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