I'm not entirely sure how he claims to know how tough those heading for retirement have had it actually. As I look around my district, there are plenty of retirees who face their twilight years in rented accommodation because they never did reach the dream of being able to own a house - because they had huge families and one very low income to raise their families on. Now they struggle to pay rent on a measly pension.
That's my parents. They lost everything in 1989 when interest rates spiked and they both lost their jobs (they were employed by the same company that also went belly-up) and weren't able to get back on their feet. They are struggling, but get by. My plan is to buy them a home and to look after them or at the very least have a home big enough so they can move in with us. I hope I raised my son right and he will look after me if I'm ever in the same position.

FWIW my grandparents never owned a home but lived in one of those built for the returned servicemen after WWII. My nan stayed there until my pop died. For 55 years she called that place home. Now she lives in a two-bedder surrounded by people in very similar situations. Luckily she is in in a lovely complex with warm and loving people living around her.

Yes, I would love to own my own home. But that's something that DH and I won't be in a position to do for at least another four years (until DS1 finishes Uni). I'll wait. By then we'll also be in the position to move to where we want to move. Not paying an exhorbitant mortgage in the city - somewhere rural that has a good school (for DS2) and a good community.

Home is where the heart is.