Home Sharing In A Shared Economy

Blog by Alison.

Everyone is talking about the sharing economy. We share rides, farm shares, job shares, rent our stuff shares, and finally seniors in Colorado have a safe and thoughtful option for Home Sharing. With the high price in rents, property taxes, and the cost of senior services home sharing is a great way to use the extra space in your home to provide income, decrease isolation, improve access to supportive services and transportation while relieving the worry of friends and family. Sunshine Home Share Colorado is a nonprofit helping a senior home provider find someone who is a good match to share their home using a social service model to support the safety and compatibility in the matching process.

Meet Margaret and Emily:

Margaret 78, is a retired librarian and widow of six years. She does not like living alone, loves to tell stories and says “she has more house then she knows what to do with.”. Emily 52, is a kind and generous freelance videographer who wants to give back but struggles to find an affordable place to live.

With a lot of patience and trial and error, Margaret found the right person to share her home. These ladies exemplify the need for a home sharing program in CO. With their shared love of animals, antiquing, the outdoors, and chatting over a nice cup of tea, this relationship not only decreases the worry felt by Margaret’s family of her living alone, but she now has supportive services to remain safely in her home. And as she said, “I am so happy I don’t have to take out the trash.”

The input and support of our program participants and their families have guided the development and implementation in the start of our year one 10 match demonstration project. Building a safe and thoughtful program takes time as we continue to grow and learn at each step of the home sharing process, bringing more people together to support our seniors.

To learn more about Sunshine Home Share Colorado and if home sharing is the right option for you, call 303.915.8264 or email alison@sunshinehomeshare.org. You can also learn more at Sunshinehomeshare.org.

 

*This is not an AARP event.  Any information you provide to the host organization will be governed by its privacy policy.