For the first time in a long while Angela Rose feels excited about her future, and she attributes a big part of that feeling to having a home.

Key points: Older women are the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness

Older women are the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness Sleeping in cars or couch surfing are among common options for women

Sleeping in cars or couch surfing are among common options for women A lack of money in superannuation is contributing to the problem

The Adelaide resident, who was homeless for more than a year, is among the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness — older women.

She got divorced when her children were aged nine and 11, and said she struggled to re-enter the workforce, picking up odd jobs such as pruning.

"At one stage … I think I had five jobs that sort of just covered the basics," she said.

After her children had grown up, Ms Rose was eventually pushed to breaking point, unable to afford a rental home or her car.

"It was a journey of staying somewhere for two weeks, staying somewhere for one week, somewhere for four months," she said.

"[My] first thought was actually being in a tent, living in a caravan park, and you actually find it's quite expensive living in a caravan park."

After almost a year of moving from couch to couch, she acknowledged she needed help.

She contacted Catherine House, which helps those in need to access housing, as well as legal, medical and financial assistance.

Catherine House chief executive Louise Miller-Frost said her experience was all too common, with the loss of a partner through divorce or death, the gender pay gap and a lack of financial skills all contributing to the problem.

"They're less likely to be sleeping on the streets," Ms Miller-Frost said.

"They're more likely to be in cars, they might be couch surfing with friends and family, house-sitting is quite a common one."

Ms Rose lived at the group's facility for seven weeks and credits the help she received to turning her life around.

"When I got there I didn't believe that I was of worth," she said.

"You're exhausted, you're fragile, you feel quite alone, weary and it was a place I could rest."

Superannuation gap works against women

According to ABS statistics, the number of older women living in private rentals has doubled from 91,549 in 2006 to 180,617 in 2016.

Ms Miller-Frost said there was a lot of shame around losing housing, and women often hid the fact that they were homeless.

"About 30 per cent of the women we see are 45 and over, it is an increasing area," Ms Miller-Frost said.

"When they come to us it's really as a result of a perfect storm of gender disadvantage throughout their entire lives."

Louise Miller-Frost said a lot of women hid the fact they were homeless. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Labor MP and lawyer Andrea Michaels, who is an ambassador for Catherine House, said there was a huge gap in the amount of superannuation women were amassing, compared to men.

"Women are generally retiring at the moment with half the superannuation men have," Ms Michaels said.

"On average … with just over $100,000 in super, so if you think that's got to last you 20, 25 years, that's a huge problem we're facing at the moment."

Call for stronger financial literacy

Financial adviser Tania Tonkin said she worked with a lot of older women who had found themselves on their own later in life.

"It's actually really dire in the circumstances that I see," she said.

"Women take time out of the workforce so their superannuation accumulation stops [and] when they re-enter the workforce a lot of them do so as self-employed people, so they don't even consider putting money away into super."

Homelessness does not just include rough sleepers. ( ABC News: Danielle Bonica )

Ms Tonkin said a stronger emphasis on financial literacy in schools would help future generations of women.

"Just those basic financial literacy skills, such as what's compound interest, what are the benefits of putting a little bit more away into superannuation," she said.

"Some kids don't even know what superannuation is.

"If they learnt those basics early on then when they get their first job, I think it would make a big difference."

For Angela Rose, who now lives in a share house, new living arrangements have also brought a renewed sense of independence.

"It's a perfect place for me," she said.

"It's so important to be in a place that you feel is home.

Ms Rose is now living in a share house. ( ABC News: Alina Eacott )

"I can't get the smile off my face, [I'm] so excited, it's like this house has given me a base."