Older women make valuable contributions as leaders, CEOs, volunteers, academics, carers, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, neighbours, colleagues and friends. Despite their contributions and achievements, older women are devalued and experience significant inequalities. Research shows older women are:
- the lowest income earning family group1
- the largest group of unpaid carers - 70% of carers are women,2 and carer’s research shows carers experience significant financial burden and poor health and wellbeing3
- the fastest growing group of homeless – an increase of 31% between 2011-20164
- more likely to live in poverty - 34% of single older women live in poverty5
- more likely to experience workplace discrimination6
- more likely to experience Elder Abuse than men7 and
- more likely to be among the 50 people sexual assaulted in residential aged care each week.8
In 2021, 18.5 percent of Whitehorse residents were aged 65 plus; this compares with 15 percent for Metropolitan Melbourne. Of these 65 year plus residents, 56.8 percent are female and 43.2 percent are male.
Ten percent of Whitehorse residents are aged 75 years and over. This compares with seven percent for Greater Melbourne and eight percent for Victoria. Of these older Whitehorse residents, 58.8 percent are female and 41.2 are male.
There is a need to raise awareness of contributions and achievements of older women – to build respect and combat the inequalities they experience.
To address this need, Whitehorse City Council partnered with Celebrate Ageing Ltd, The Older Women’s Network NSW and Elder Rights Advocacy Victoria on a project called The Biscuit Tin.
The Biscuit Tin9 is part of the annual Older Women Count10 program, launched for International Women’s Day each year to build respect for older women.
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1 https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2437426/HILDA-SR-med-res.pdf
2 https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/safety-and-security-older-women
3 https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/carers-need-more-mental-health-and-wellbeing-supports-this-national-carers-week-and-beyond/
4 https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/age-discrimination/publications/older-womens-risk-homelessness-background-paper-2019
5 https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2437426/HILDA-SR-med-res.pdf
6 https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/safety-and-security-older-women
7 https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/2021_national_elder_abuse_prevalence_study_final_report.pdf
8 https://www.opalinstitute.org/prevalence.html
9 https://www.celebrateageing.com/biscuittin.html
10 https://www.celebrateageing.com/olderwomencount.html