Loneliness and Poverty – are the Two Connected?

I believe poverty and loneliness are connected. I belong to a couple of women’s organisations.  One in particular which I won’t identify has an issue occasionally with the small number of participants at events.  I like the organisation as there are some benefits to me.  I have some friends involved and I feel welcome.

The financial status of some of the members I believe is causing some challenges for them, and subsequently for other members.  Some groups like to meet regularly – perhaps coffee mornings, lunch or something.  It is at these functions that numbers are often down.

Is it because many women are not financially secure?

What do the young think of Older Women who are not Financially Secure?

A friend who is public housing told me of a conversation she had on the phone with a young woman in a public service organisation.  At one stage she berated the 76-year old for not owning her own home and being financially secure.

Clearly she does not comprehend what women who were born in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s had to endure.  Young women in those days were “trained/expected to be wives and mothers” and many were.  As was my friend.  Though like me in her late teens she went through nursing training.  Both of us eventually became “trained nurses”.  In those days if you became pregnant or married during your training you would be terminated from your nursing career.  It did not happen to either of us, but you can understand the pressure at that time.  Our wages were very low too.

Marriage

Most women married in their early 20s in those days.  It was sometimes difficult to continue working as a nurse.  I moved interstate and had to enter a whole new system.  But then babies came.   Many of us did not work during our child-rearing days, though I managed to do some short-term work.  My small income was used to bolster our family income.

I had additional financial pressures as my family (parents, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins) lived interstate and most years I would use any funds I had to go and visit them.  Saving was challenging!

And Now we are Seniors.

Women who are now seniors often had little control over their money.  In fact, women didn’t have superannuation, we were paid less than men, and often the man of the house controlled all the money!

I’ve heard so many stories of women, like me, whose financial security was destroyed by the drinking or gambling of the man of the house. In my case, at age 66 I was alone and had no money.

Getting a job at that age is almost impossible, so in the intervening years I have had to rely on a pension, and I’ve struggled.  My friend was in a similar situation, but also had major health issues that impacted further on her life.

Piggy Bank Funds

So What is the Connection with Poverty and Loneliness?

If you don’t have any money, you avoid going out to places  where you are expected to pay.  If it costs $A25 for lunch, someone who has very limited funds will not go.  Any and almost every event costs money – it might be travel costs, the clothes you are expectd to wear, raffle tickets and so on.

Many of those with very limited income will avoid any event/place where they are required to pay.  Going out to dinner at night with friends or family is also hard, and it is difficult to explain the dire financial status.

One tends to become a recluse – only attending free events (if the travel costs are doable), and one spends more time alone.  It’s easier to stay at home alone that explain why you can’t participate in certain activities.

Financial Security is very important – and these days women are paid more, have child care enabing them to work and they are more educated.

My Advice – Save for your Future.  It is not good to be financially Challenged.  Loneliness is not fun either.