‘You do feel worthless’: 62-year-old woman on becoming homeless after eviction

'I didn’t realise how the story goes; it’s how you feel after — you do feel worthless.' File picture: iStock/Rawpixel

The reality of homelessness has been laid bare by a 62-year-old woman who described staying in temporary accommodation after being evicted.

Rose, who asked not to share her real name, said she is adjusting to a new life while she is temporarily housed in a family hub in Dublin.

She became homeless last week after being evicted from her north Dublin home of 30 years, after mortgage repayments were not made following a relationship breakdown and her being unable to work following an incident at her former place of employment.

Rose said she was “in shock” when she first arrived at the hub at the weekend, and said it was only then that “it hit me — I’m actually homeless”.

“Before coming here with my daughter, we went to McDonald’s first, and I saw women and daughters getting in their cars, and it hit me that I can’t go home with my daughter."

She added: “I didn’t realise how the story goes; it’s how you feel after — you do feel worthless.

“There are people who have your back, there are plenty of people that don’t have that, and I am really very grateful, but you can go down a slippery road very easily with everything going on.” 

She said she is relieved she has her own bedroom, which includes a shower and a fridge, and that the staff at the family hub have been “so kind and lovely”.

But she also described the challenges of adjusting to a new life, in a part of the city she is not familiar with, and said that she found eating dinner in a shared space "scary".

“That was nerve-wracking for me and intimidating in a way,” she said. “Because I’m walking into a room and everyone is talking and they all have their tables ready for big families and I’m just sitting on my own, thinking I’ll never get out of there quick enough.

“Nobody was not nice to me or anything, but it is daunting. But I did it. The evening was a big thing for me to get through, to go in with the ready-made meal and sit there. That was a big thing for me and I didn’t think it would be.” 

Number of elderly homeless expected to rise

Housing agencies have warned that the number of older people facing homelessness is expected to rise in the coming years as more people remain renting in later life; calls have been made for more age-friendly one-bedroom units to be built.

Almost 17,000 people aged over 65 were renting from a private landlord in 2022, representing an 83% jump compared to 2016.

The Government is due to publish an action plan on housing for older people in the coming months as well as a homeless prevention framework.

Rose said she struggled initially to use the microwave because she misplaced her reading glasses during the “quick” move out of her home, but was helped by the staff.

She described not being able to find her sleeping medication, struggling with the flights of stairs, and did not realise she had to buy her own bowls and cups.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

“There are many simple little rules and I’m getting used to it. All my friends are ringing and my daughter is bringing me out for a coffee.

“I’m grateful for what I’ve been given, I have a window beside me, I’m getting to know the shower. It’s my home for now.” 

Dublin City Council have been contacted for comment.