Housing options and independent living: sustainable outcomes for older people who are homeless
Summary
The experiences and preferences of older homelessness people confirms the motto "prevention is better than cure". The project draws on the views of older homeless people and providers of the Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged (ACHA) program, to highlight the housing and support options that older homeless people believe work.
Project Number: 70135
Research Theme: Homelessness
Project Leader: Judd, Bruce
Funding Year: 2002
Research Centre: UNSW-UWS
Research & Policy Bulletin
Issue 061: Housing and support options for older people who are homeless
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123 KB PDF Document
Description
The housing and support needs of older homeless people are a neglected area of research. Most of the research on homelessness has focused on the causes of homelessness with particular emphasis on the problems of the individual, such as drug and alcohol abuse and mental illness, with few studies specifically addressing older people (Crane, 1994; Lipmann, 1995, Kavanagh, 1997).
The limited research on pathways out of homelessness has likewise tended to focus on rehabilitation and treatment of the individual (Kavanagh, 1997). A number of state and federal government committees were reviewing policies on homelessness and recognizing the need to understand more about the characteristics of older homeless people, the range of housing options available to this group and how these might best link with other services to provide sustainable outcomes. Anecdotal evidence suggested, firstly, that an apparent preference for a transient lifestyle may be a result of a lack of appropriate options and, secondly, that one size certainly does not fit all, reinforcing the importance of offering a variety of housing options to this at risk group.
The research investigated programs for older homeless people in all states in Australia. However, three states, NSW, Victoria and South Australia were researched in more depth as they have significant homeless populations and are concerned with developing integrated services for older, homeless people. The wide coverage enabled the research team to provide a comparative analysis of the housing of homeless older people nationally in both urban and regional areas - including programs catering for indigenous people.
More Information
Research and Policy Bulletin: Issue 061: Housing and support options for older people who are homeless
123 KB PDF Document
Positioning Paper: No. 060: Housing options and independent living: sustainable outcomes for older people who are homeless
1.6 MB PDF Document
Final Report: No. 062: Housing options and independent living: sustainable outcomes for older people who are homeless
3.02 MB PDF Document
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