Caroline Cooke, director of community interest company, Share and Care Homeshare (www.shareandcare.co.uk) and Dementia Friends Ambassador

Share and Care Homeshare matches younger people (the average age of a Sharer is 39) who need an affordable place to live, with older people (the average age of a Householder is 84) who need some extra support to remain living independently in their own home. Costing just £165 per month, the Sharer offers the Householder 10-15 hours of support each week in a mix of practical help and company, plus the reassurance that comes from a regular presence and someone living in the home.

It can be a lifeline across generations, and people living with dementia are among those most likely to benefit from an arrangement. Other drivers to Homeshare include anxiety, loneliness, reduced mobility, poor eyesight and a host of others.

Matching connections

There are several reasons that Homeshare works so well; people are carefully paired to create strong connections – such as placing an elderly medical professor with dementia with a medical student – and taking into consideration common interests. It isn’t necessarily about a Sharer having specific experience; it’s about matching Sharers with the right manner, empathy, reliability and patience. Safeguarding is of huge importance too; all Sharers are fully-vetted, and Share and Care Homeshare remains in on-going contact for the duration of each arrangement.

Homeshare is incredibly flexible, sitting well alongside other support services; Householders often have visits from Carers alongside their Sharer. Equally, it works well for individuals and couples. For instance, a married couple where the wife has dementia; having a Sharer enables her husband to balance his time caring for his wife alongside a little respite time for himself when he can arrange to meet up with his friends for social events, with the reassurance of knowing there is a Sharer is at home. In some instances, if there in an additional spare bedroom, a Householder may have two Sharers (at no extra cost), so they benefit from additional support.

Thriving independently

In recent years, the number of people living in Homeshare arrangements has significantly risen. One of the reasons is that some people may not need – or be ready for, or be able to afford – residential or full-time live -in care. The kind of support a Sharer offers is reassuring to someone older; whether it be preparing an evening dinner a few times a week, picking up shopping, carrying heavier items, or simply as a companion to chat with and the reassurance of someone else living in the home. These can all help the frustration and anxiety that can come with getting older.  Sharers can also be great at providing a gentle nudge for people’s daily routines, or trigger reminders to take medicine or remember social commitments.

Having a Sharer in the home offers a greater capacity for independent living, reducing the risk of falls, improving wellbeing by reducing social isolation and loneliness, and increasing engagement in life.  Genuine, strong friendships are built and both parties become like family to each other. Importantly too is the impact on families who may live too far away to provide instant support. With Homeshare comes peace-of-mind that parents or loved ones are not alone.

Free Seated Exercise Classes

We have been running our Seated Exercise Classes over Zoom, at 11am on Wednesday mornings, for a few years now. Led by an experienced personal trainer,  the classes are about 30 minutes. People can sign up either through the link on our website, or by sending us an email.  

Dementia Information Sessions

Caroline Cooke is a Dementia Friends Ambassador and has been trained by the Alzheimer’s Society to deliver dementia information sessions, either in person or on-line. The sessions are interactive and informative and last about 1 hour; please contact Caroline if you would be interested in arranging a session.

Founded in 2006, and based in Putney, Share and Care Homeshare is a Community Interest Company (CIC), and is the largest and most experienced homeshare provider in the UK.

Tel: 020 3865 3398

Email: info@shareandcare.co.uk

Website: www.shareandcare.co.uk