A separate house with two bedrooms, private indoor and outdoor spaces, private car bay, pet friendly, with easy access to shops and public transport, in an outer-suburb or regional area, with a storeroom, smart home technology and environmental sustainability.
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These are some of the most important housing criteria for older Australians increasingly struggling with housing security.
More people are retiring without outright home ownership, leaving them facing a precarious housing future, often in the expensive private rental market, leading to potential homelessness, elder abuse and early entry into aged care.
A report by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute looks at housing options favoured by low income older people and how they could be delivered to those in or approaching retirement.
The researchers found there are limited alternative housing options available and there is also limited information regarding such options, how to access them, legalities and other information to help with decision making.
The three types of alternative housing most favoured were cooperative housing, shared equity home ownership and transportable homes.
The study was carried out by researchers from Curtin University, the University of South Australia, RMIT University and Flinders University, who also looked at mixed-use apartment buildings, communal housing, dual key properties and village-style housing.
The options were presented to a national sample of people through surveys, focus groups and interviews.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Amity James from Curtin University said older low-income households were more likely to experience precarious housing, particularly if they were in the private rental sector or if they entered retirement with a mortgage.
The report, Housing aspirations of precariously housed older Australians, says housing help is often fractured and there is a reliance on digital technology, making it difficult for those not digitally literate or who are from non-English speaking backgrounds.
"Obstacles, including language and cultural barriers, physical accessibility (for people with disability, for example), previous bad experiences, visual and hearing impairment, low literacy skills and low internet and digital literacy can all inhibit an individual's ability to successfully navigate their housing options," Associate Professor James said.
Ownership or long-lease options were also highly favoured by research participants, but least favoured were one-bedroom units, studio/bedsits located in the CBD, shared outdoor space and car share schemes.