Is an older adult a good candidate for a home share? If so, what's the first step?
Who's suited to sharing a home? A home share isn't for everyone, notes Jacqueline Grossmann, copresident of the National Shared Housing Network, who helps set up home shares in Chicago. It requires flexibility and a willingness to deal with problems openly and calmly.
Before raising the idea with the person you're caring for, try to consider him objectively: Has he enjoyed having houseguests? Is he assertive enough to make his needs known? Is he able to compromise? Does he easily communicate his thoughts? If the answer to any of these is no, consider other options, such as whether your friend or relative could get a reverse mortgate or hire some help instead.
That said, many people do make good home sharers -- and they're not all alike. Some are tired of living alone and want company. They look forward to developing a friendship with a housemate. Others want a more businesslike arrangement. They prefer very little personal interaction and would live alone if they could afford it. Both kinds of people can successfully share a home.
If you think home sharing might be a good idea for your friend or relative, run through the pros and cons with him. Ask him: In what ways would home sharing be better than your present living situation? In what ways would it be worse? Give him some time to mull over the idea before asking whether he wants to move ahead with it.
What's the first step toward setting up a home share? If your older friend or relative is open to the idea, check with the city planning board to see whether there are any zoning restrictions regarding home sharing. Some towns restrict the number of unrelated people living in the same house.
Then it's time for a series of conversations with him to hammer out the details. What would he most need help with from a housemate? Take a walk around the house -- what's being neglected? What kind of rent would he need to balance out his bottom line? What amount is reasonable to charge for the room itself, and what amount should that rent be reduced in exchange for the housemate's help? Would more rent money or more assistance be better for them? Sketch out a plan of what he would ideally like to get from the match.
You'll then need to decide whether you'd like to help him find a housemate on your own or work through a matching service. You can find a state-by-state directory of organizations that help set up home shares at nationalsharedhousing.org. If you choose to go it alone, you can post a listing in your local newspaper or online classifieds like Craigslist.
Also check out our step-by-step guide to setting up a homeshare and our interview questions for prospective housemates.
