The fastest growing cohort of homeless people in Australia is older women.

Author Sally Piper knew the stats. She says the numbers tell us the size of the problem, but she wanted to show how it feels to live in it. She's written a new novel, People Like Us, whose central character, Tina, is recently divorced and living in a mould-covered caravan.

As she was writing the book Sally met Susan Davies. Susan is the founder of Sharing with Friends, an association developing co-housing for older women.

Their conversations helped shape the story and, importantly, showed a happy ending was possible for people like Tina.  

They spoke to Greta Lee Jackson.