HOME AT LAST OLDER PERSONS HOUSING INFORMATION & SUPPORT SERVICE

1. HOME AT LAST OLDER PERSONS HOUSING INFORMATION & SUPPORT SERVICE Housing for the Aged Action Group Inc.

2. Breaking the cycle of homelessness • Innovative approaches • Building on crisis management model • Focus on prevention & early intervention • Acknowledged older people • Home at Last is one of ten Homelessness Innovation Action Projects

3. The problem for older people at risk of homelessness The Road Home failed to develop broad strategies for older people even though it identified this group as having the greatest increase in homelessness between 2001-2006 Change in homeless population by age, 2001–06 Age group 2001 2006 Change from 2001 (%) Under 12 9,941 12,133 22 12–18 years 26,060 21,940 -16 19–24 years 10,113 10,504 4 25–34 years 16,567 15,804 -5 35–44 years 12,992 13,981 8 45–54 years 10,349 12,206 18 55–64 years 7,883 10,708 36 65 or older 5,995 7,400 23 Total 99,900 104,676 5 Source: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, unpublished table from ABS Census 2001 and 2006 data.

4. Why did The Road Home miss the mark? • Myth that older people are fundamentally well-housed • Limited definition of older homelessness and focus on rough sleepers • Failed to acknowledge larger group of older people at risk of homelessness • Australian households aged 65+ (Jones et al 2006) • - 82% (1,170,269) are home owners • - 7% ( 92,879) public and social housing • 7% (107,168) private rental • 4% ( 51,440) have some form of life tenure (retirement villages, residential care etc.) • Long term decline in home ownership amongst older Australians to 72% by 2046 • (Jones et al 2006) • The number of people aged 65 and over living in low-income rental households is projected to increase by 115 per cent from 195,000 in 2001 to 419,000 in 2026. Those over 85 expected to increase by 194 per cent from 17,300 to 51,000 (Jones et al 2006) • Older low income single households will rise from 110,800 to 243,600, an increase of 120 per cent. Two-thirds will be women • Public housing currently only meets 42% of older persons demand (McNelis 2006) • The needs of older private renters is a significant gap

5. Chronic state of private rental housing • 35% of lower income renters living in capital cities paid more than 50% of their • income in rent. 28% across all areas (National Housing Supply Council 2012) • In Melbourne the median rent for one bedroom flat is $295 per week • (Rental Report DHS 2012) representing 72% of aged pension including rent assistance • Low vacancy rates have maintained pressure on secure tenure, rents and older persons’ ability to compete • Private rental market is not suitable for older people – insecure, unaffordable, poor standards, unadaptable Rental Report Department of Human Services, March quarter 2012

6. Lack of homelessness support services for older people • Specialist Homelessness Services are not used by older people • - Don’t ask for help due to dignity and stoicism • - Often not connected into mainstream services • - Homelessness services don’t provide the help needed by older people at risk • 1500 services funded nationally, at cost of $166 million in Victoria alone in 2010-2011, but no specific older persons services in the specialist homelessness model • Hanover report ‘Ageing in What Place?’ (Westmore & Mallett 2011) • highlighted the lack of appropriate homelessness services for older people • Little meaningful data due to low access by older people into Specialist Homelessness Services. People aged 65 and over were the least likely to use crisis housing services • - 0.1% or 1 in 1000 clients were aged 65+ representing 142 clients in total • (SAAP National Data Collection Annual Report 2010–11) • - Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged (ACHA) services assisted 3858 clients with an average age of 68 (ACHA service activity report 2010-2011, Department of Health & Ageing) • -ACHA poorly funded at $4.5 million nationally and data collation began only in 2009

11. Home At Last • Older Persons Housing Information and Support Service • Early days, after starting to build the service in April 2012 • Two main categories of assistance: Prevention & early intervention, • those threatened with eviction • Focus is on private rental sector – up to 120,000 over 55 in Victoria at risk at some point • Other types include rooming houses, caravan parks, those in temporary accommodation with family & friends • Emphasis on ensuring a complete service to clients • One stop shop including tenancy and retirement housing advice and support • Understands the vulnerability of older renters • Takes the time to listen • Home visits as standard practice • Special focus on high need groups such as the CALD community • Knowledge of health, aged care issues and services • Knowledge of the wide range of housing options available • Understanding of the complex eligibility guidelines & application processes • Working in partnership with agencies that can provide the assistance older people need such as ACHA and Community Connections • Integrate into the health and aged care service systems • Aim for long term affordable housing outcomes

12. Older persons information access & communication strategy Libraries Hotels Local neighbour-hood Chemist CIVic Senior Citizens Club Shopping Centre Post Office Doctor Community Health Centre Police – Eviction warrants Daily contact points Aged Care Assess. Service (ACAS) Home and Community Care (HACC) Home at Last 1300 765 178 Consumer Affairs Victoria Centrelink Critical contact agencies Older person at risk of homelessness Public access Dept. Of Human Services Energy Utilities THM’s, SAAP Local Govt Promotion, advertising Real Estate Agents Tenancy tribunal Daily & local news media Seniors media Regional radio N’hood houses Local govt. news Public transport Gov’t booklets

13. Home at Last intake and referral process Older person at risk of homelessness HAAG Retirement Housing service HAAG Intake service HAAG Tenancy service ACHA-like service i.e. Community connections ACHA service HAAG ACHA Service Older persons’ case managers i.e. Social Workers Older persons’ adaptable service i.e. C.H.Centres Housing provider – Public housing, social housing, ILU’s, Council sponsored housing , Abbeyfield etc. Establish local community and aged care supports – ACAS, HACC, Health Centre, doctor

14. HAAG services 2011-2012 • 836 older people assisted through HAAG information, intake & referral • 280 required housing options information • 556 required more intensive support due to risk of homelessness • 424 referred to other specialist agencies i.e. ACHA, Community Connections • 132 managed by HAAG’s ACHA service (annual client target 35) • Age profile: 37% 60-69, 47% 70-79, 14% 80+ • 63% female • 40% from CALD background • 68% living in private rental housing, 30% staying with family & friends, 2% homeless • Main reason for contact: Notice to vacate 33%, Rent increase 33%, Unsuitable housing 24%, Tenancy breakdown 10% • Housing outcomes of HAAG ACHA: 102 re-housed (63 public, 24 social, 12 ILU, 3 rooming houses) • Time for re-housing: 11 less than month, 32 1-3 months, 44 4-6 months, 15 > 6 months • Other matters raised by clients: Going without regular food, non-use of heating, multiple health problems, small number reporting wish to, or in fact attempt, suicide; declined aged care services due to cost; isolation due to lack of money • 136 clients assisted since Home at Last service began with similar client profile to above figures. Data being provided to Queensland University for further research

15. What is needed? • National approach to provision of information services • & case management for older people at risk of homelessness • - Productivity Commission Inquiry into Aged Care 2011 recommendation • - Key element in British National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society • ACHA Program must be expanded • We need more affordable housing • Better housing models like Humanitas (see bensoc.org.au – Apartments for Life) • Older persons housing strategy

16. Call Home at Last on 1300 765 178 We need more public housing! Housing for the Aged Action Group Inc. www.oldertenants.org.au