The numbers of older people ‘retiring into homelessness’ has skyrocketed by 500% in the West of Ireland in fewer than ten years.

And while the number of those aged 65 and over without secure accommodation remain ‘relatively small’, a closing window remains for action to prevent homelessness among older people becoming ‘entrenched’ in Irish society.

That was the stark warning of the Simon Communities of Ireland in their Older Adult Homelessness in Ireland report, developed with Galway Simon, which was launched by President Catherine Connolly at University of Galway this week.

President Connolly described homelessness as an “obscenity” and an issue that required collective effort to address.

Referring to the Simon report, she stressed the urgent need for action to ensure the housing needs of Ireland’s aging population were being met.

“The report points out that existing aging strategies largely assume secure housing in older age through ownership which is far from the truth for an increasing number of people who do not have security of tenure.

“The report says that assumption does not reflect the living reality of a substantial number of people. It also highlights the over reliance on private rental. Private markets have been a key factor behind the emerging trends of homelessness among older people,” said President Connolly

Speaking to the crowd at the Aula Maxima, included in which was several TDs and councillors, she stressed the need to implement the recommendations set out by the Simon report, drawn up by Dr Bridín Carroll from University of Galway.

“The fundamental question is how is this happening? How is this being allowed to happen? And how do we stop it?

“This report shines a spotlight on how the situation has developed and more importantly, provides solutions. It does acknowledge the progress made by Government. It acknowledges that the policy attention to older people’s housing has increased. But it goes on to say that it has been outpaced by the realities faced by those at risk of homelessness,” said President Connolly.

“I’ll leave it up to the politicians and the Government to look at policy but what Simon has done for us is to shine a spotlight on a situation that is worsening, at the same time giving us the solutions and telling us the way forward.”

Caption: President Catherine Connolly at the launch of the Simon Communities of Ireland report on Adult Homelessness with (from left) Ber Grogan, Executive Director, Simon Communities of Ireland; Galway Simon client Mary Jane Farrer, and Dr Carol Baumann, CEO Galway Simon Community.

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