As people age, they often experience changes in their physical and economic circumstances which have a profound impact on their housing requirements. As such, this submission will highlight the rising rate of homelessness amongst Victoria’s ageing population and shine a light on some of the social and economic factors underpinning this shift.
The effective prevention, early intervention and response to housing stress across Victoria’s ageing population is a matter of increasing public concern. The number of people aged over 65 is projected to have increased to 1.1 million by 2021, growing at more than twice the rate of the general Victorian population. By 2031, Victorians aged over 60 living in Greater Melbourne will comprise 22% of the population. In rural and regional areas, almost 31% of Victorians will be aged over 60. To this end, our submission has a strong focus on the need for government policy that will enhance access to secure, accessible and affordable housing to prevent older Victorians from falling into a cycle of homelessness in the future.
