HomeShare -by Lynn Kloss
Many aging adults want to age in place – they prefer to stay in their home. In Fort Collins, Neighbor 2 Neighbor (N2N) is an organization that can help with this. Through a program called HomeShare, N2N matches home providers and home seekers. Many older adults live in large homes that once accommodated their family. Maintaining a large home can become an onerous task as we age. HomeShare is a way to relieve some responsibilities by sharing them and the home with someone who needs a place to live.
To investigate how this works, N2N put me in touch with individuals who are currently enjoying such an arrangement. I interviewed the home provider and the home seeker to explore how this concept works. To protect their privacy, I have changed their names for this article. Virginia, the home provider, is in her early 90s and she heard about HomeShare from a friend who volunteered with N2N. She contacted the program and gave them a list of her requirements to share her home. She needed someone to help her and her husband with house and yard work, some cooking, and transportation. N2N screens home providers and home seekers with very extensive interviews. They do background and reference checks. They provide the home seeker with a list of questions and set up an interview with home seeker candidates.
Virginia interviewed three candidates and selected the last one she interviewed. That home seeker, Julia, was looking for an affordable living situation and after meeting Virginia, seeing the home’s layout, and negotiating an arrangement so that her pet could live with her, she agreed to home share in exchange for the services outlined. Their arrangement has been in place for nearly one year.
The home provider may suggest a reduced rent and services or, in the case of Virginia and Julia, may waive rent for services. N2N will outline the arrangement in an agreement signed by both parties to be sure the details are clear. They also follow-up at regular intervals to be sure that the arrangement is still working for both parties. If rent is charged, N2N advises the home provider to establish a formal lease agreement to protect both parties.
In speaking with Virginia and Julia, they each stressed the importance of open communication. If there are conflicts, being able to talk it out and trust each other is key. Virginia wanted someone who could understand her strong personality and respect her needs. She hoped for a cheerful addition to her household. Julia wanted to live with privacy, while being part of a solution for the home sharer. She also needed a home that welcomed her dog. In talking to these two women separately, I could feel the respect they had developed for each other. In meeting each other’s needs, they had formed a commitment, and each broadened their own lives. As Julia put it – building trust is important and we are all better for the effort we put forth.
Neighbor to Neighbor is a nonprofit organization that helps find stable housing solutions for northern Colorado. For more information, go to https://www.n2n.org/rental-option/homeshare/ or call 970-484-7498.
Lynn Kloss retired from a career in employee benefit consulting in 2016. She went back to school after retirement to get her Masters in psychology, with an emphasis on geropsychology. She has volunteered with seniors and dementia patients since retiring. She and her husband moved to Fort Collins in 2023. They love the weather and friendly people of Fort Collins. Lynn currently volunteers at the Aspen Club and the Museum of Discover.
