Dear Rose # 44 - Hidden Homelessness: A Personal Reflection and the Power of Being Known by Name

Rose is an amalgam of us - women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond who are looking for somewhere they are seen, heard and listened to.

Dear Rose,

For a period of seven months last year, I was homeless. I was never without shelter, thanks to my mum, but I was homeless nonetheless—without a place to put my own cutlery in the drawer.

It was an extremely stressful time. I was navigating grief, a new job, a sick dog, and an injury. I’d look up the rental properties in Albany and there’d be ten or twelve, all out of my financial reach. After my dog passed away, I started making plans to house-sit because I thought I’d never afford my own place. Luckily, a guardian angel disguised as one of my yoga students rescued me when she offered me a home to rent. The amount of safety and security I feel now, with my own cutlery in the drawer, is immense.

Last week, I attended a women’s community meeting where we discussed homelessness, especially for women our age—the fastest-growing cohort of homelessness in Australia. A program that has gained traction is the “By-Name List.” Agencies who support people in this situation get to know every person without a home by name, and that helps them find suitable housing. It really works.

I mentioned at the meeting that I hadn’t reached out to those agencies because I didn’t want to take the place of someone who needed it "more." Later, someone else said that we have to help these women understand that they deserve to find a home.

And wow. That really hit home.

Love, Em xx

P.S. - If you are experiencing homelessness, you are welcome to reach out. I might be able to point you in the right direction for some help.