House Sharing for Seniors. It is true that most people want to remain in their home as they get older. However this can be more easily said than done. An increasing number of seniors cannot afford to live alone, or other challenges make it too burdensome. Also, the increasing cost of assisted living rules it out as an option for many.
If you have enjoyed fond memories of watching Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia; you may be wondering is house-sharing for seniors the answer?
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Home-sharing for Seniors
Many seniors, especially single females, are looking for affordable alternatives to what they saw their parents go through. Many can’t keep up with the upkeep of their homes but cannot afford assisted living. Additionally, living alone also presents concerns. Such as higher social isolation and both financial and safety risks.
House sharing could be an option because it is cheaper to live with other people. You get to age in place and your roommates gain a more affordable way to live. You can use tools like the wall organizer to share calendars and communicate with roomates as you come and go. You could also share an Recipe for House Sharing Success
Of course there are challenges with house-sharing. Planning in advance and laying out the expectations will of course alleviate a lot of problems in the long run. First, finding a roomate or roomates that will be a good fit can be a challenge. You will want to have things in common. But, you should ideally be able to balance each other out. It will be necessary to create a plan to share both costs and responsibilities. The burden must be fair so as the ease of the burden is felt by everyone. If one person bears all the responsibility, they do not enjoy any benefit of house sharing. All in all, aging within a community is generally a good thing. However your community does not have to be large. Having even one person who we can share life experiences with can be rewarding. For more aging in place recommendations READ MORE