Housing challenges of older women living alone

Good Shepherd New Zealand’s research on the housing challenges of older women living alone brings together the voices and experiences of thirteen older women aged between 57 and 83 who are living with housing stress or on low incomes. Through in-depth interviews, they spoke about what secure housing means to them, the pressures they are navigating, and the support that helps them stay well.

For many of the women who took part, housing challenges are shaped not only by limited income, but by lifetime patterns of low pay, caregiving, disability, racism, migrant experiences and the long-term effects of trauma. These overlapping and intersecting factors influence how older women access and maintain housing and how they experience the systems around them.

A consistent message is that housing insecurity is not the result of poor choices or a lack of capability. It stems from system settings that have not kept pace with the realities of ageing alone and which leave older women without stable, suitable or affordable options to age alone on a low income. Rising living costs, inaccessible homes, unstable rentals and services that are confusing or slow to respond all contribute to the pressure women are under.

The insights shared here offer a clear picture of what secure housing looks like for older women, the barriers that get in the way, and the opportunities to support women to age in place with stability, dignity and connection.

For more insights into the challenges and opportunities for support, download the full report at: https://goodshepherd.org.nz/publications/research-housing-challenges-of-older-women-living-alone/