My profession for the last twenty something years has been in construction, with a particular focus on the social, affordable, and accessible housing sector, and now through my personal experience of Peri-Meno, I have started to join some dots between the growing homeless cohort of generation X women and Meno.

I believe there is a real and clear link, where a few changes in circumstances (relationship, employment, and health status) because of Meno, are having an unfavorable impact on us and this is contributing to homelessness amongst us. And it is simply not being spoken about as a factor! Yet 70% of us will divorce during Meno, there is growing evidence that domestic violence increases during Meno somewhere in the vicinity of 35% in Australia. 27% of us will retire under the age of 55 (15% of this is related to illness, some of which can be attributed to Meno), so if you have already been out of the workforce and were either underemployed or not paid at the same rate of your male counterparts, you are at a significant financial disadvantage and finally 60% of us will have both physical and mental symptoms as a result of Meno, which impacts all aspects of your life.

Approx. 80,000 women per year start their Meno change in Australia. By 2030 the world population of Meno and Post Meno women will increase to 1.2 Billion, with a continued 47 Million every year starting their journey.

It’s time we start talking about the bleeding obvious!!

Positive Purpose Actions

Each month I will update you on what I have been doing to raise my voice and bring light to this topic. It is only by raising our voice that we will get the much-needed changes that we need and if you are doing something to raise your voice, please let me know. I would love to share what you are doing. Big or small, every whisper and shout will become a melody when we join together!

So here is what I have been up to………

I reached out to Senator Smith to ask for a conversation to discuss how we could collaborate to continue to raise awareness of Meno and to add my voice and yours to this important work. I will let you know how I get on. In case you didn’t know, Labor Senator for South Australia Marielle Smith, who along with the Greens Leader in the Senate, Senator Larissa Waters, called in November 2023 to for a Menopause Inquiry to consider the mental, physical, and economic effects of menopause and perimenopause. This inquiry will also explore awareness among medical professionals and patients of symptoms and treatments, including their affordability and availability. You can track the inquiries progress or make a submission here

I have a meeting with Catherine House to discuss supporting them in their efforts and holding an event to raise much needed funds and goods to bolster the amazing work that they do. I will let you know how that meeting goes.