Here at Home Instead, we are lucky to support many wonderful clients who are able to afford the best help available, whenever they need it. Sadly though, not everyone is so fortunate when it comes to accessing the help they need in their later years.

That’s why we’ve decided to launch Home Instead Charities, so we can do more for those older Australians really in need, especially those who are often less visible to the many charities whose main focus is helping young people.

Home Instead Australia have made substantial financial contributions to Men’s Sheds throughout the country as well as many community social events, chess tournaments, ageing information centres and craft initiatives like the Fiddle Blanket project for people living with dementia.

Home Instead is grateful for the opportunity to have been able to help these community events and organisations, but it’s time to take a step further.

Together with our franchise offices, we’re now launching Home Instead Charities so that we can all work towards giving back to our communities and especially make a difference to more of those charities doing wonderful things on a local level.

Home Instead Charities can accept donations from members of the public and we direct that money specifically towards helping older Australians needing care.

Home Instead Chief Operating Officer Georgia Downes says Home Instead Charities will work hand-in-hand with local charities for the provision of services.

“We aim to support local community care programs so we can assist local organisations to help older Australians. Our CAREGivers often see local organisations doing great work, so that’s where we can help through Home Instead Charities grants,” Mrs Downes says.

“If you want to make a donation and don’t know where to start, Home Instead Charities can help you make an informed decision about where the greatest needs are in your local community,” she says.

“We have identified many more areas of need. Now, through Home Instead Charities, we can encourage other older Australians to donate to a range of very worthy causes.”

More older Australians needing charitable support

Mrs Downes says the number of older people needing help from charities is growing.

“Absolutely. As our ageing population grows exponentially, current levels of support are not keeping pace with Australia’s demographic shift.

“We see where the greatest help is needed, and I encourage anyone with the means to contribute to make a donation to Home Instead Charities,” Mrs Downes says.

“Home Instead Charities will help you support the worthy organisations that are best supporting older Australians in your local area.”

Many of us take our beautiful homes for granted, but homelessness, especially among older women, is perhaps the most serious problem confronting charities in recent years.

The Australian Human Rights Commission reported in 2019 that women over the age of 55 were “…the fastest growing cohort of homeless Australians between 2011 and 2016, increasing by 31%”, and an article in 2020 for The Conversation noted that “…about 240,000 women aged 55 or older… are at risk of homelessness”.

It can be increasingly difficult for many older Australians to maintain positive social connections and good nutrition if they have nowhere to call ‘home’.

How has the problem of homelessness deteriorated so badly for so many?

In its 2019 report ‘Can You Afford Your Retirement?’, Home Instead partner Perpetual confirmed retirement costs more than most people realise.

The financial services company’s report states: “People retiring now need a nest egg far bigger than retirees just a few decades ago. As a nation, our life expectancy is increasing which means our savings need to stretch a lot further.”

Add in unpredictable investment markets thanks to the pandemic, and it’s a recipe for unexpected inflation for many older Australians.

Perhaps those in the Sandwich Generation – men and women in their 40s and 50s who are caring for ageing parents while also raising their own families – should take heed of Perpetual’s advice. That is, the right planning now can set you up for a more secure future than the one currently faced by many older Australians, who’ve been increasingly finding their savings are coming up more than a little short.

In the meantime, Home Instead Charities will do what it can to help those left behind. In launching Home Instead Charities, Home Instead believes it can further support those incredible local charities and organisations working on the ground in local areas across the country, helping them make a real difference.

You can help too. It’s easy to donate to Home Instead Charities – you can do so via our website or call our office on 07 3703 3100.

Remember, it feels good to do good. And it’s especially comforting to know that by donating to Home Instead Charities, you’ll be doing good for older Australians who really do need it.