Social housing and emergency service groups are working hard to better accommodate vulnerable members of society. Their main focus has been on housing and other special needs of families; sole parents, parents with low paying jobs or with medical restrictions.
However, I wonder if these social service groups have included older people who have the same, if not worse, needs in their ‘vulnerable’ category. In many cases, the current superannuation does not cover power, telephone, food nor transport, let alone rent.
News on the street
Having a natter with a few cobbers at the Club, I learned that the Tauranga City Council is probably going to sell off their pensioner flats.
“Why?”, I asked old Nobby.
“Well, they stand to make a lot of money from the land the flats sit on. They’re conducting an official ‘review’ of the flats as we speak.”
“You’re joking! Didn’t central Government pay for the flats in the first place? And how can TCC justify selling them off when there’s so much need for housing our elderly in places they can afford?”
“Mate, when you been around this town as long as me, you’ll know this is par for the course!”
“Wha’ dya mean Nobby?”
“The Council will knock them old flats down ‘cause they need a lot of doing up, just like us old codgers. Costs money, Jake.”
“Wo ho Nobby. Sounds like what Government did with State Housing.”
“You’re not wrong Jake me old mate. I been around long enough to remember when Council changed the Stewart and Carruthers Trust Deeds. That money was given – the word is bequeathed I think – anyway, entrusted to Council to specifically support poor older people with housing needs, but now any community group can get their hands on it.”
“That’s gonna leave a lot of oldies out in the cold, Nobby.”
“Yep. But how about this Jake? The Council, have appointed one of their own managers to review their policy regarding those pensioner flats. How dicey is that. Haven’t they heard of the term ‘Independent Review’?”.
“Surely people will jump on them, Nobby?”
“Mate, not many will even know this is going on. Some might, but how the hell do you make Council do the right thing? Seems like they’ve got it all sewn up. But hey, what the hell do I know? I’m just an old codger.”
Council needs to step up to the plate
What is most disturbing about this issue is that no real investigation has gone into the actual needs of one of our most vulnerable groups, older people. There are homeless older people and those struggling just to afford a meal. Surely a much broader review is required so these people are not left to slip through what appears to be ever-widening cracks.
Because the world’s population is getting older, creative solutions to address this problem are being implemented overseas. Council needs to step up to the plate and investigate. Pensioners deserve at the least, a minimum standard of housing. Will Council let us have a say on this issue? More people need to come forward and have their say. After all, there is one inevitability; we are all growing old.
By Jakes Spear
I write for this magazine to raise awareness of a potentially questionable TCC ‘review’ on their Elder Housing.
