The Roommate Remedy

Shared housing with a roommate could be a solution to the rising cost of living and loneliness for many older adults.

Besides weathering the climbing prices of everyday necessities from groceries to gas, some  older people are exploring ways to cut costs on fixed expenses like owning or renting a home…including sharing housing. 

Matt Hutchinson, director of roommate site SpareRoom said, “This is a growing trend. Over the past five years the number of so-called ‘live-in landlords’ looking to rent out spare rooms in their own homes has almost doubled.”

And while financial benefits or relief may be the driving force behind older adults considering it as an option, Hutchinson points out that the social aspects of shared living can be equally appealing, including the possibility of intergenerational contact.  

“The relative affordability of shared living is one of the main motivators for doing it, but not everyone lives with roommates for financial reasons,” says Hutchinson. “Many older adults are looking for companionship and friendship after a separation, divorce, or the death of a partner.” 

Social benefits

There’s much research on the link between social isolation/loneliness, and health risks. For older adults living alone in a home with empty rooms, shared living may provide an opportunity to rebuild or broaden their social network.  Samara Scheckler, a senior research associate at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, says shared housing can help solve multiple challenges. 

“So maybe it’s solving isolation issues, maybe it’s bringing caregivers into their space, maybe it’s minimizing financial impacts and making their life more affordable,” said Scheckler. “But it’s also a way to kind of bring the community in.”

Connecting home seekers and home providers

Sunshine Home Share in Denver, Colorado made about 31 matches last year, which is a lot for a small, home sharing non-profit, according to Founder and Executive Director Alison Leventhal Joucovsky.

Joucovsky was working as a geriatric therapist and counselor when she began building Sunshine in 2015, amid a major housing shortage in Denver. “And so I had heard about this model and was kind of like, we need this here.”

While Sunshine is the only home sharing organization in Colorado that focuses primarily on older adults, Joucovsky said that the model is not unique.  

“One of my board members, he’s almost 80, he’s like, ‘Alison, I grew up in a boarding house. My grandparents came from Europe and they ran a boarding house. People have been sharing space in homes as a way to earn money since time began.’” 

The model is also not unique to Colorado. Municipalities, like this one in NYC,  offer similar services to connect older homeowners with  potential renters. The National Shared Housing Resource Center (NSHRC) is a network of independent, non-profit, shared housing organizations in the U.S. Anyone seeking shared housing can use the NSHRC program directory to find programs in their area.  

How does it work?

Each home sharing program is different – there’s one specifically for older people called BoomerRoomers – but the idea is to help people safely connect. “My job is to help make it safe, find out what’s important to you, learn about your values, help you find the right fit, help do a home share agreement, so everybody’s on the same page and help with communication if things feel like they’re not working,” says Joucovsky. 

Want to know more about housing issues?  Take a look at the Senior Planet interview with housing consultant Ryan Frederick, and stay tuned for info on his upcoming talk May 15.  

There is typically some level of vetting and an application process. And some programs are more hands-on.  Sunshine Home Share follows a 13-step process that can take up to 40 hours before a match is made. Joucovsky said they are currently working to build a streamlined system for applicants who are more tech savvy to help increase the amount of older adults they can help. 

Tips and resources

If you’re considering living with a roommate, using a legitimate home sharing program (instead of using Facebook, Craigslist or similar options) may be the best and safest way to find a match, since scammers have discovered homesharing as well. The FTC offers these tips.  

No matter what option you use, don’t outsource your safety and comfort.

• Look for someone who you can get along with and someone whose values match your own. 
• Ask for and check references.
• Do a credit check, and background check if possible in your state.
• Understand federal, state and local laws, tax rules, and your responsibilities to a roommate.
• Create ground rules and healthy boundaries.
• Create a written, legal lease.

Shared living can provide financial relief and it may be an opportunity for some older adults to remain independent longer and avoid social isolation. But it’s not for everyone, says Alison Joucovsky. “Home sharing is not always easy and it requires flexibility and it requires, you know, it requires kindness.”

YOUR TURN

Do you have a roommate? Would you consider having – or being – one?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

 

Kevin Ryan is a freelance writer and editor. He is a digital editor for the Mountain West News Bureau and also works as a tech support agent at Senior Planet. Mr. Ryan has worked as a reporter in Colorado and Massachusetts where his reporting has appeared on NPR and in community newspapers. Mr. Ryan has also written senior-focused articles at A Place for Mom and Palliative Care News. He is a contributing editor to the Dead Foot Collective. In a previous career Mr. Ryan worked as a high school special education teacher.

Photo credit (Kevin Ryan): Briahn Martin.