Florence is 95. She’s partially sighted, an RAF veteran, and used to be a keen tennis player.
She also has a 27-year-old housemate called Alexandra.
When Florence’s husband died she said she “desperately needed company”. She was one of nine million adults in the UK who say they are often, or always, lonely.
By chance, Florence came across homesharing in the letters page of a newspaper. The initiative aims to tackle loneliness by matching older people looking for companionship with a younger person in need of somewhere to live.
It’s a win-win arrangement – in return for keeping an older person company and helping around the house, a homesharer gets low-cost accommodation.
In 2016, Homeshare UK, a network of schemes in the UK, reported more than 200 active matches in cities including Leeds, Bristol and London.
Florence had her first homesharer ten years ago. Since then she’s had a number of different housemates.
Her most recent is Alexandra, a masters student from Newcastle. The BBC spoke recently to them both to see how it works, click the link to read more.
- UK must tackle loneliness, says Jo Cox Commission report Teresa May announced the minister for loneliness this week is to be Tracey Crouch
- Kyla and Adam tell their story of friendship started as participants of Share & Care Homeshare The friendships fighting off loneliness
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