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LONDON: The lonely death of an elderly man in transitional housing has sparked the creation of a “mini-retirement village” for the homeless in his honour.

A 90-year-old Airbnb villa in Pillans Point will become a transitional house for the elderly in the care of Te Tuinga Whanau Support Service Trusts (TTW).

“They need to be around others… like a mini-retirement village for the elderly homeless,” executive director Tommy Wilson said.

The open plan bungalow with four large bedrooms and two bathrooms can accommodate 12 people and is in walking distance to shops and the beach.

It would be called Whare Patrick, in honour of the homeless pensioner living in a transitional housing motel who died alone two weeks ago and was found four days later.

His death rocked other elderly clients and staff, and motivated the trust to make a safe, inclusive accommodation facility.

The trust hoped to open the doors in early May and would be leasing it off landlords it already had a good relationship with.

Patrick first arrived at TTW nearly two years ago and was put into the RSA motel before moving to a house with four other men. He then moved to a single unit in another motel for 18 months.

Patrick was 72 years old when he died alone in his unit two weeks ago.

Peter Williams was Patrick’s social worker for a period of time, although not when he died.

Williams remembered him as a “lovely” gentleman, “always looking out for and helping others”.

He was well-known and “respected” at most of the homeless meals around the city, Williams said. Representatives from a range of services, as well as people who used the meals, attended his funeral.

Patrick was “kind-hearted” and generous with his time and would help with the meals at Under the Stars and St Peters church when he went along, Williams said.

“When I first heard what had happened, I was gobsmacked.

“Sadly he’d had little contact with his family for a number of years.”

Williams said Patrick’s death highlighted the fears of older people in transitional housing about dying alone.

Williams had been working with the elderly for two years and said most were disconnected from their families for a range of reasons and had no one checking in on them.

“They’re lonely, they’re isolated, and quite often they’re struggling financially because the pension isn’t enough to survive on.”

In general, paying market rent on a pension was “impossible” and many elderly were sharing houses “just to have a roof over their heads”.

However, some still couldn’t afford it or were kicked out of a rental when a landlord sold up, and ended up homeless.

“They’re barely staying afloat… they’re living week-to-week.”

He said the struggle was amplified for those who had addictions like smoking, or a vehicle – which many of them needed.

However, vehicle costs often became too much and many had to give up their vehicles and walk – but some couldn’t walk anywhere because of their health.

“It’s hard on these people who end up living in filth because they can’t take care of themselves.”

Williams said most of the elderly in TTW’s care were in single units so they could be independent and have a lifestyle of their own.

“They’re looking for a better life. All they want is a permanent home, ideally with neighbours around them.”

Loneliness and depression were common and Williams said there were a few he worked with who he rang every other day, just to check in on them.

Community meals were vital not only for food, but for contact with other people.

Williams said the elderly homeless would be “very receptive” to the new accommodation.

“Just to have a permanent home where they don’t have to pack up and move, where they can call it home.”

He said support for them in the homes would be important too.

Social worker team leader Tracey Hall said the death of Patrick left the residents “devastated… realising it could happen to them”.

She said the current living situation was lonely and communal living would be more beneficial.

The home would help residents “feel a part of something rather than being in a space and feeling ‘I live here but that’s it'”.

Hall said elderly homelessness was hidden and “absolutely” on the rise.

The reasons included pensioner homes closing, relationship breakdowns, families leaving their homes, or families kicking their grandparents out.

That trust had 11 older clients between 57 and 81 years old. All but one was Pākehā and only one was still connected to their whānau.

“They have no one.”

Hall said most of the Māori referrals she assessed declined TTW support because they wanted to be near their mokopuna and have space for them to stay or have a garden of their own for self-sufficiency.

She said the people that came into their care were “lost” and “bewildered”.

“They never thought it would happen to them… these aren’t people that have been on the streets for years, these are people that have owned their own home.

“They’ve worked hard all their lives and they’re homeless.”

The crisis was evident in the increasing referrals coming in and her needing to decline some of them as there was nowhere to house them.

The new place would be better logistically for social workers, with everyone in one area, meaning they could give back more to the clients.

Kirk Vosper and his wife Vicki Whalley own the “successful” Pillans Point Airbnb which will be turned into Whare Patrick.

They owned 16 other dwellings around the city which are leased for the homeless.

“We’re privileged to have properties and we get to choose what to do with them so we’re choosing to help out those in need.”

The couple also owned the unit Patrick died in and said the news was “really sad”.

He said Wilson put the idea of elderly community housing to him and the couple supported it.

Vosper said there was a “real problem” and if they didn’t provide the homes, “who else will?”

“I think when people think of community-housed people, they often think of gangs and antisocial people, but it’s not just that.”

He said they were people “just out on their luck” who needed some support.

“It’s really important that we can house them and that they’re supported while they’re alive,” Vosper said.

He said the trust took on the management side of the tenants which also made it a good business decision.

The couple also lived in Pillans Point.