Presentation given by Maša Filipovič Hrast, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Understanding Homelessness and Housing Exclusion in the New European Context", Budapest, Hungary, 2010

1. Housing exclusion of the
elderly in Slovenia
Maša Filipovič Hrast,
University of Ljubljana
Faculty of Social Sciences
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN THE
ENHR
NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

2. Social and Housing exclusion
 Social exclusion is a blend of multidimensional and mutually reinforcing process of deprivation, associated with a
progressive dissociation from social milieus, resulting in the isolation of individuals and groups from the mainstream of
opportunities society has to offer (Vleminckx and Berghman 2001)
 Characteristic:
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European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010 f
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UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR r
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT e
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3.  Housing exclusion dimension as developed in the
ETHOS concept:
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European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

4. Housing exclusion of the elderly
 Elderly in Slovenia predominantly owners (without
mortgage) - secure housing tenure
 However:
 High shares of at-risk-of poverty among elderly
 Particularly vulnerable elderly single women
 Consequences: possible housing exclusion of elderly
 Low income does not enable upkeep of dwelling; ownership as
burden; unfit housing situations;
 Elderly in rental sector
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

5. European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

6. At risk of poverty rate by age
Age
2005 2006 2007 2008
Total 12,1 11,7 11,5 12,3
65+ 20,4 20 19,4 21,3
0-15 11,9 11,8 11,7 11,5
16-64 10,4 9,8 9,8 10,5
Source: SURS, 2010.
Material deprivation by age
2005 2006 2007 2008
Total 14,7 14,5 14,3 16,9
0-17 13,6 12,4 12,7 13,9
18-64 14,2 14,1 13,9 16,9
65+ 18,6 18,5 18,4 20,5
Vir: SURS, 2010
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

7. At-risk-of poverty rate by household type
2005 2006 2007 2008
Total 12,1 11,7 11,5 12,3
Households without children 15,6 14,9 14,5 15,8
Single 44,1 42,5 39,4 41,9
single, male 35,1 37,9 33 37,3
Single, female 48,5 44,7 42,6 44,3
single 65 + 44,8 45 43,8 47,2
single 65 +, male 26 34,5 25,5 23
single 65 +, female 48,8 47,1 47,1 51,4
Couple without children, under 65 11,8 12,5 12,6 11,2
Couple without children, 65 + 12,1 12,4 12,3 15,3
Households with children 9,9 9,3 9,5 9,9
Single parent households 21,4 22,1 28,6 28,8
Source: SURS, 2010.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

8.  Housing exclusion of elderly:
 Lack of basic amenities (indoor flush toilet,
bath/shower), higher among older, in
particular those aged 75+
 Housing costs present a higher share of
income among 65+
 Very high at-risk-of poverty rate among older
renters
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

9. At risk of poverty rate by tenure
2005 2006 2007 2008
Total 12,1 11,7 11,5 12,3
Total Owner or user 10,8 11,1 10,4 11,4
Rent 25,7 21,9 25,7 25,2
Total 11,9 11,5 11,3 11,6
0-17 Owner or user 9,7 10,8 10 10,2
Rent 29,1 21,8 24,7 26,7
Total 10,4 9,8 9,8 10,5
18-64 Owner or user 8,9 9,1 8,7 9,6
Rent 24,1 20,4 24 21,7
Total 20,4 20 19,4 21,3
65+ Owner or user 19,8 19,5 18,4 20,3
Rent 29,5 32,3 40,6 49,4
Source: SURS, 2010.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

10. European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

11. European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

12. Graph 1: Share of persons without indor flush toliet by age (Slovenia, 2005)
Source: Stropnik et al., 2010.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

13. Graph 2: Share of persons without indoor bathroom or shower by age (Slovenia 2005)
Source: Stropnik et al., 2010
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

14. European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

15. Qualitative research
 Qualitative reasearch in 2009
 of poor elderly people and their coping
strategies
 Role of housing – as a coping strategy and as a
dimension of exclusion
 30 in-depth interviews with vulnerable elderly
people
 Project Poverty and material deprivation of elderly, financed by
Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and Slovene
Research Agency
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

16.  Housing situation as ‘source’ of exclusion
 Problem of size of dwelling
 Problem of age of dwelling (need of
renovation)
 Problem of high housing costs
 Problem of location of dwelling
 distance from infrastracture, transport...
 also source of inclusion (community help)!
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

17. Results of analysis
 Housing as part of coping strategies:
 Passive strategy of coping
 Limiting expenses (e.g. warming only one room in
house, ...)
 Limiting repears (e.g. Not repearing leaking roof),
 Limiting investments (e.g. not renovating old
bathroom)
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

18.  Housing as part of coping strategies:
 Active strategy of coping
 Sharing a house (with family members)
 Sharing housing expenses with family members
 self-provision (e.g. collecting wood in forrest for
heating)
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

19. Conclusions
 Housing as a resource to prevent social exclusion
 Possible also use of housing as an asset to reduce exclusion
(e.g. through moving, change of dwelling, ...) or other means
(policies of changing ownership to ‘renting’ status)- Not found,
limitations of research
 Housing exclusion as a ‘choice’ to prevent social
exclusion in other areas?
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT

20. References
 Vleminckx, K, Berghman, J. (2001): Social exclusion and the welfare state. In Mayes,
D.G., Berghman, J., Salais, R. (eds): Social exclusion and European Policy.
Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
 Stropnik, N (ur.), Kump, N, Filipovič Hrast, M, Hlebec, V, Vezovnik A and , Kavčič M
(2010): Revščina in materialna deprivacija starejšega prebivalstva. (Poverty and
material deprivation of elderly population) Ljubljana: Inštitut za ekonomska
raziskovanja.
 SURS - Statistični urad RS (2010): Statistični portal SI-STAT: Kazalniki dohodka in
revščine. Dostopno preko
http://www.stat.si/pxweb/Database/Dem_soc/08_zivljenjska_raven/08627_EU_SILC/08627_
, 14. 7. 2010.
 European Commission. Eurostat. The social situation in the European Union 2009.
Luxembourg. Publications office of EU 2010.
 Hlebec, V., Kavčič, M., Filipovič Hrast M., Vezovnik, A., Trbanc, M. (forthcomming):
Samo da bo denar in zdravje: življenje starih revnih ljudi (Only that there will be mony
and health: Life of poor elderly) Ljubljana: Faculty of Social Sciences
 Eurobarometer (2010): Report. Poverty and Social exclusion. February 2010. Special
Eurobarometer 321. DG Employment. Brussels: TNS Opinion and Social.
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT