Client's Stories

In October 2020 we received an My Aged Care (MAC) referral from Brimbank Council Regional Assessment Service (RAS) for Sue, a 72 year-old woman living in private rental in
the western suburbs of Melbourne.

This is a story of two of our Home at Last clients, sisters, Khanma, 63, and Rishwina, 60, from Assyrian background and came to Australia from Syria as refugees. They have very limited English therefore we used an Assyrian interpreter. They have been living in a privately rented property since arriving in Australia, assisted by the Refugee Settlement Program.

Vesna became homelessness after her private rental property became far too expensive on her income and it was no longer a viable option as a single person. Private rental was far too unaffordable even with the part-time employment she had at the time. She had little choice but to leave her tenancy and live between the homes of friends and relatives on a temporary basis.

On midnight, Monday the 30th March 2020, Stage Three restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19, started in Victoria. Victorians were given a clear and simple message: “Stay home to Protect Yourself and the Victorian Health Care System”. For homeless people, this order to stay home, was almost impossible to adhere too.

Jey is a 57 year old woman from China. She dropped in to our service in May 2019. During the intake assessment, we communicated through a mandarin interpreter via the VITS services.  At the time of the drop-in she was couch-surfing at  a friend’s house, who had then asked her to leave as she could not keep assisting her any further.