Pauline's story
She never thought she’d end up homeless in her 60’s. Pauline had worked hard all her life. But when she developed health problems, her husband said he wouldn’t care for her. ‘Don’t come back’, he said, after she'd left their home to go to an appointment in the city.
She was alone, with very little money to her name, and a painful knee that made walking difficult.
The first place she stayed was frightening. “I didn’t feel safe”, she says, “but the women’s refuges were full and I had no other option.”
A terrified Pauline thought she’d have to spend the last years of her life sleeping rough and feeling unsafe.
Homelessness in Australia
As the housing crisis continues, women over 55 have become one of the fastest-growing groups of Australians facing homelessness.¹
They often end up in financial distress after working in low-income jobs or taking time out from the workforce to raise children. Family violence, financial abuse, and poor health all put women at risk of homelessness – and a lack of suitable low-cost accommodation means there are few places they can turn.
Why don’t we see women like this on the streets? The women Mission Australia support tell us they are ashamed and embarrassed by what’s happened to them. They secretly live in their cars, or move between the homes of family and friends.
If you think that’s wrong, please donate to help.
How you help
It starts with safety. We know that older women feel incredibly vulnerable because of their age and gender.
Your donation here now can help Mission Australia reach a frightened older person and get them into clean, secure accommodation where they feel safe.
You can help make sure they have food, medicine and access to health care and entitlements (like the age pension).
Your kind gift here can help a woman like Pauline find the safety, comfort and dignity that a home brings.
Please give generously. Nobody should be homeless in the ‘home stretch’ of their lives.