12 Seniors Gold Coast seniorsnews.com.au Monday, February 13, 2017

Talk ‘n’

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groups to help olderpeople find sharehousing. She said herinspiration for creating theSeniors Share HousesFacebook groups evolvedfrom personal experience.

“At 60, due to ill health,I retired. My children hadmoved out and I was leftwith a mortgage strugglingto make ends meet,” shesaid.

“I decided the only wayto afford any sort of lifewas to sell my house andrent.”

However, a look at theprice of rentals and therealisation that herpension wouldn’t evencover a one-bedroom

FIVE months ago Ipublished the first ofthese stories in SeniorsNewspaper ‘Talk nthoughts’ section, and Ihave since noted there isplenty of talk going on withAustralian committees,working groups,governments and privateinterests.

On the other hand somenot-for-profit buildingcompanies such asBrisbane HousingCompany or the TinyHomes Foundation are flatout with fundraising andbuilding appropriatehousing. I have alsopublished a story onSydney’s Paramatta

Council, which is taking alook at alternative housingmodels through a housesharing initiative.

However, right nowdemand far outweighsavailable accommodation,and as the olderdemographic increases sodoes the urgency of thisissue.

Nevertheless, in adecent society there are

always people who, ratherthan sticking their head inthe sand, raise their handand take solid initiativesin the quest for affordablehousing for the olderperson.

Here, I introduce you toLinda Mina, whose ownexperience led her to setup an online housing site,and Anglicare North CoastNSW chief executiveofficer Estelle Graham,leader of a group who hasgone to work to raiseaffordable housingconstruction funds.

■ House sharersGold Coast resident,

68-year-old Linda Mina,has set up Facebook

apartment, meant shehad to consideralternative housing styles.

“I remembered theshare houses from myyouth and decided tocheck Gumtree. I foundmost were seekingyounger people.

“Luckily, I did eventuallyfind a flatmate of similarage and interests and we

became close friends.”Linda’s career

background was incommunity developmentand with that knowledgeshe took a further stepand created a specificspace just for seniors toadvertise when seeking oroffering shareaccommodation.

“You may wonder ‘why

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESKGAIL FORRERGroup editor Seniors Newspapersnetwork

From little thingsbig things grow

PRACTICAL WORK: Anglicare North Coast CEO Estelle Grahamis behind a business to support affordable housing.

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Monday, February 13, 2017 seniorsnews.com.au Gold Coast Seniors 13

thoughtsHurdles, highjumps and solutions

HAVE YOUR SAY: Email editor@seniorsnewspaper.com.au or go online to www.seniorsnews.com.au.

Facebook?’, because itmight not be consideredsenior-friendly,” she said.

“However, it is free touse, has the capacity toreach many people, andlibraries and communitygroups are now offeringcourses in the use ofsocial media.”

Linda’s Facebook siteSeniors Share HousesGold Coast has beenrunning for about 18months and she told me ithad helped many find theirperfect flatmate (andfriend).

“There are currently550 members andgrowing,” she said.

This month, due to itssuccess, she hasdeveloped a similarSunshine Coast group. Ina little over a weekSeniors Share HousesSunshine Coast hadgrown to 60 members andhas several adverts forpeople seeking andplaces to share.

You can search for and

join Seniors ShareHouses Gold Coast,Seniors Share HousesSunshine Coast andSeniors Connect onFacebook.

❚ Anglicare North CoastAnglicare CEO Estelle

Graham said the NorthCoast area reached fromPort Macquarie to theQueensland border and

while on the surface thisarea represented a sunnyholiday destination, therewas a problem withaffordable housing.

Ms Graham said highrental costs wereexacerbated by increaseddemand from the influx ofroad constructionworkers, and homes,formerly permanentrentals, reassigned to the

Airbnb pool.She also pointed to

research by Sandy Daraband Yvonne Hartman fromthe School of Arts andSocial Sciences atSouthern Cross University,Lismore, and their studieson the housing situationof older women in theNorthern Rivers area.

In an article for

*ProBono (16/11/2016)the researchers said theyhad found a “massiveproblem”. They went on todescribe the issue as “asleeping giant”.

In an effort to generateaffordable housing funds,Ms Graham said inDecember last year,Anglicare North Coastlaunched the Gr8Cleaningbusiness. GR8CLEAN is a

specialist cleaning servicefor Ballina, Alstonville,Lismore and Byron Bayresidents. It doesspecialised work such asair conditioner cleaningand pressure cleaning ofhouses/offices, drivewaysand footpaths.

The not-for-profit is runby qualified and trainedAnglicare North Coastemployees and all profitsfrom GR8CLEAN helpAnglicare North Coastcontinue to provide vitalservices.❝

GR8CLEAN is a (not forprofit) specialist cleaning

service for Ballina, Alstonville,Lismore and Byron Bay residents.

GR8CLEANVisit the websitegr8clean.com.au orcall (02) 6642 4345.*https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2016/11/homelessness-older-australian-women-sleeping-giant/(16/11/2016)

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