At the age of 63, grandmother Karren couldn't believe she faced the prospect of being homeless. / (min cost $ 0 ) or signup to continue reading How, after 46 years of living in the Blue Mountains and raising three children, had it come to this? Karren's story is a common one. A series of life events resulted in her joining the ranks of the fastest growing group to experience homelessness in Australia - older women.
Karren [surname withheld] worked casually while being a proud "stay-at-home Mum". When her marriage ended after 25 years, she launched a domestic cleaning business which thrived for 10 years. Her painful osteoarthritis cut the venture short.
With barely any superannuation and savings, she didn't have the a house or rent on her own and had to move into share accommodation. "It was extremely difficult to find accommodation at a reasonable price," said Karren, who couldn't live with her children and their families out of the Mountains long term due to insufficient space. "My future was looking very bleak and horrifying.
" The Homes for Older Women (HOW) program stepped in - a not-for-profit connection service that links older Blue Mountains women with homeowners willing to rent out vacant granny flats, studios, homes and spare bedrooms at an affordable price. Members of the Older Women's Network Blue Mountains, appalled by the rental crisis, in May, 2024 to help their peers overcome housing insecurity and homelessness. They have secured homes for 13 women over 55.
Many.