Marianne Kilkenny on Successful Aging and Reason #3 to Share Housing

 

The Living In Community Network  was a seedling of the Women For Living In Community (WLIC) program founded in Asheville, NC.  

Marianne realized after watching her parents walk through their aging process that there MUST be a better way to live out our elder years. Thus she became an advocate and WLIC founder. She and her participants have spent countless hours over the past decades advocating for #sharedhousing. 

Marianne's voice for successful aging has been sought by media outlets and community organizations seeking speaker who could advocate for aging in place through home sharing. Marianne has travelled around the country and became known as the Grand Nudge for inspiring others to take a creative look at options for aging successfully.

Marianne has used her #sharedhousing experiences as a template for her book Your Quest for Home: A Guidebook to Find the Ideal Community for Your Later Years.

She continues to practice what she preaches. "We can...” age in community with dignity, grace, friendship, support and meaning." 

Marianne was interviewed in 2012 on Blog Talk Radio. The audio archive can be found here.

Hearts and Home Sharing Program is social connection program solving several community issues

The Hearts and Home Sharing Program has made more than 100 matches since implementing their shared housing program 6 years ago. Many Florida residents are feeling the financial crunch as rents and housing cost spiral out of control.

Like many programs available through the volunteer organization National Shared Housing Resource Center, participants in Osceola County's "Hearts and Home Sharing" program are vetted to assure a good fit for everyone.

“As most Central Florida residents are experiencing both rental and cost of living increases, this has prompted a demand for innovative housing solutions for lower income individuals,” OCOA Vice-President of Housing Angelica Rodriguez said, “Luckily, Home Sharing has emerged as a crucial resource for residents, not just in the state of Florida, but across our country. This option is empowering seniors, individuals with disabilities, working professionals, and those who simply cannot find affordable housing to maintain independence by sharing costs.”

The arrangement enables two or more individuals to share housing for mutual benefit, whether it be financial, social, or simply to support safety and security needs.

For homeowners, requirements include completing a Home Sharing application through the OCOA; submitting a copy of their driver’s license, social security card, proof of current income, proof of home ownership, or, if they do not own, a letter from the landlord stating a sublet is allowed.

Once the homeowner’s application is completed, the Council will inspect the residence to make sure it is in acceptable condition. The criteria include a healthy, safe, clean, and friendly environment. Minimally, the bedroom for rent needs to be of ample size and private. A private bathroom is preferred, but not required."

Programs like these offer a solid solution to a variety of current issues facing elders throughout the country.

• Skyrocketing rents are forcing our community members onto the streets. 
• Elevating income as taxes rise for low or moderate income homeowners assures housing stock remains in good repair
• Homemates help prevent isolation and loneliness which has grown to be a public health crisis, particularly in rural settings. 
• Assistance and monitoring well being by housemates can alleviate concerns family members have for their loved ones.

The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has made it his mission to address the problem of isolation. And no wonder-with statistics that prove loneliness contributes SIGNIFICANTLY to a variety of health concerns.

We can all be part of the solution to this growing health crisis by finding ways to create and welcome community, reconsidering what being neighborly does to strengthen community.

Here are three key ways individuals, organizations, and governments can work together to strengthen social infrastructure in local communities:

• Design the built environment to promote social connection
• Establish and scale community connection programs
• Invest in local institutions that bring people together

Let's find ways to rebuild strong social networks for everyone in our communities. By filling our empty bedrooms with people, not things, we take a step closer to reinvigorating our communities and their residents.

Philly's Home Share Program Highlights The Benefits and Challenges of Filling Empty Bedrooms

Cities, counties and states have been implementing and using #homesharing programs for many years with varying degrees of success. The Philadelphia Citizen published an article recently about a SHARE program in Philadelphia.

Counties in Pennsylvania use area aging agencies to operate the programs. Philly is one place where the program struggles to connect people but those who have used the program hail the benefits. ““For anyone looking for companionship or a place to live, the homeshare program is the greatest one that I’ve seen,” Sherry Woodside says. Woodside has lived with Janet Porter, a homeowner in Philly who had been struggling to make ends meet after a fire ravaged her home.

The rate of poverty among aging Pennsylvania residents has increased by 9.6 % which is making it difficult for seniors to remain in their communities and homes they have lived in for years. 

The SHARE program launched in Bucks County a year ago and has made six matches. Despite a waiting list of 150 people seeking safe affordable housing, but with only 13 prospective host/providers many seekers continue waiting.“There’s a big disparity there,” says Shannon Walsh, Bucks’ SHARE counselor. “We’re helping people who really, really struggle to find safe housing in this economy,” Walsh says.

Has your area had success encouraging house rich homeowners to open their doors to #sharedhousing? Have you participated as a host/provider or seeker?  Let’s hear your thoughts about filling empty bedrooms and how organizations should go about helping make it happen.

Newsletter May 2024

 

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View this email in your browser You became part of a grassroots movement by attending “Do You Love The Idea Of A Golden Girls Lifestyle?”  Your feedback is important to us and others who have joined the shared housing movement.  We'd like to hear about your progress. By now you’ve had time to look over the resources we sent after the event. If you can't find your resource materials  please reach out and we will send a copy to you. YOUR Facebook Group We're happy to say many of your co-attendees joined the Facebook Group and are sharing their experiences, making announcements and offering encouragement! How are you enjoying  the Facebook group.? By checking in you'll get shared housing news about this essential growing movement. By using social and our newsletters you'll get access to resources and programming to guide you along your home sharing path. Is it possible YOU know someone who’s a perfect fit for successful home sharing? Why not send them a copy of this newsletter or give them a link to the Facebook Group.   MEET and CHAT with the EXPERTS who belong to the group Experts like Linda Williams of Relationshape, Marianne Kilkenny Author of Your Quest For Home and founder of Women for Living In Community, Pat Ready, a HOST/PROVIDER with years of experience sharing, Louise Machinist, Author of My House Our House and representatives from Sharing Housing, Inc among others. Explore what others have to offer Look through the guides on the Facebook Group.  Watch for announcements including Q & A's with leaders of the shared housing movement. Create a discussion with other SEEKERS and HOST/PROVIDERS in the chat windows. Catch up on legislation and programming around the country.  Keep your eyes open for upcoming news.  Watch for information and events that can help you grow your own community. Are you a SEEKER looking to connect? Look sharp. Right now a HOST/PROVIDER has a furnished space available in Sarasota.   HOST/PROVIDER Joy used a simple form to create her announcement. Click the images below to see her entire announcement in the Facebook Group. HOST/PROVIDER offering a shared home near Arlington and Shade Streets in Sarasota HOST/PROVIDERS And SEEKERS Can Submit Announcements With One Click The Facebook Group is a place where HOST/PROVIDERS and SEEKERS can post announcements for spaces or connecting. The announcement form is simple to complete. It has checkboxes and places to write a few sentences.  When you've finished, click SUBMIT to send to us directly. We'll post it to the Facebook Group. Here are the links to the forms: Announcement form for HOST/PROVIDERS *** NOTE***If you are a HOST/PROVIDER send images of the available space to be included in your announcement to the following email: theshareresource@gmail.com  Announcement form for SEEKERS At this time the service is free.  Want To Connect Another Way? We’re looking forward to hearing about the good things YOU have learned! Send us a voicemail or a text if you’d prefer to keep the conversation going.  Person to person. You can text or leave a voicemail at 541-224-7715. Leave a message for Zoe who is the administrator for the Share Resource Collective.   Our Shared Housing COLLECTIVE believes conversation is essential to build community, eliminate isolation, create security, improve financial outcomes and elevate the benefits of home sharing. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Neighbors helping neighbors. Walking beside each other? Improving our communities? Your voice illuminates the shared housing table.  By advocating for shared housing you benefit the home share movement. All TOGETHER we will light the way for each other on the path to Living In Community.  Subscribe Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*

Reasons To Consider Sharing Housing

 

CBS Morning Eye on Money and NYC Foundation for Senior Citizens GOLDEN GUYS home sharing

 

View the video here