‘We’ve all done the right things’: in Under Cover, older women tell their stories of becoming homeless

Thu, 8 Sep 2022 12:56:52 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/weve-all-done-the-right-things-in-under-cover-older-women-tell-their-stories-of-becoming-homeless-188356>

"The Australian documentary Under Cover, premiering at the Melbourne
International Film Festival, presents the voices and faces of older women’s
housing insecurity. Many of us would have seen the figures: the number of
homeless people aged 55 years or above increased 28% between 2011 and 2016. And
single women of that age are the fastest-growing homeless group in Australia.

But knowing the statistics is different from witnessing the reality. In Under
Cover, filmmaker Sue Thomson depicts the stories of ten older women who have
experienced housing insecurity and homelessness. They live in hostels,
community housing, their cars, vans, caravan parks.

All have travelled different routes, but leading to each individual experience
is a chain of similar factors: taking time off work to care for children,
having little or no superannuation, experiencing relationship breakdown that
leaves them without money or assets, eviction. For some, additional factors
include family violence and the enduring impacts of colonisation."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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