A Sharer’s story
“ I thought it would be amazing to give back and be part of someone else’s life; to really make a difference. When I first met my householder, I knew that it was definitely meant to be! I knew that I would love to share a home with her.”
Being closer to her job and social network was the driver for Pamela, 28, to move to London. With an established family ethos to give something back to the community, homesharing was just what Pamela was searching for.
The first time Pamela met her householder, she instantly knew it was going to work, and
felt like they’d been friends forever. Pamela homeshares in a beautiful part of London, and has a balance of spending valuable time with her householder together with exploring new areas at weekends, funded by the money she saves in rent.
Pamela loves living in a warm, family home and would like to homeshare for as long as she can.
“I grew up in South Africa and always knew that I wanted to come to the UK – it was a question of when rather than if. After Covid, it sparked the idea to take the opportunity while I can. I moved to the UK, got a job as an auditor and house shared with three other people in Reading.
At the time, I wanted to be closer to the office and my social life was also more directed to London hence I decided to make the move.
I never knew about homeshare before and when I stumbled across the opportunity, it sounded so interesting!
Every year my family and I make a pledge to give something back to the community. Once, we all chose to support an orphanage. My Mum made meals, my sister and I played with the children, and my Dad helped with the building maintenance.
Our family ethos of helping other people, was installed from my grandparents and the idea of homesharing with an older person fitted perfectly. I thought it would be amazing to give back and be part of someone else’s life; to really make a difference.
When I first met my householder, I knew that it was definitely meant to be! I knew that I would love to share a home with her and help out in my free time.
The day we met was a cold winters day and I remember walking into her home with freezing cold hands. My householder and her daughter felt my hands and said straight away that we need to get some tea to warm up, it was so lovely. Together we talked about our lives – it was warm and homely, and I felt like I was speaking with an old friend.
I’ve been homesharing for 9 months now and it’s a great arrangement. We’re in such a comfortable routine, and it feels like home.
I work from home so once I’ve been to the gym in the morning, we have coffee and breakfast together while we chat about what we have lined up for the day. My householder has a busy social life, and I will often drop her off at different engagements, or the odd medical appointment!
We make an effort to eat dinner together every evening which is very nice, and I can honestly say that I’m always so excited at what we are going to discuss over dinner and what stories my householder is going to share.
In the evening, I often help my householder with admin-related tasks such as checking or responding to any emails received. We have ‘her and me time’ where we’ll sit and have a chat, or I’ll be in the room for company while she’s doing her crossword.
We’ve even been out of a few occasions together, but she has such a busy social life already!
On a Sunday afternoon, we enjoy watching a film together or perhaps listening to the radio or an audio book. One of our shared interests is a love of reading the news, and painting or art. When Banksy’s graffiti appeared on one of the local walls recently, we made sure to go and see it together!
Homesharing has made me a better person, it’s helped me grow. I now have a greater insight into older people and, it’s softened me.
I’m very grateful to experience her life. My householder is in her 80s and I love hearing her stories from a different generation. She tells me all about the dinner parties she used to host with her late husband, it’s great fun! I also tell her stories about growing up in South Africa, and she’s always very interested.
I would love to stay homesharing as long as I can – as long as we’re both happy. It feels like a family home.
My householder’s children, a son and daughter, make me feel very welcome too. I have even visited the daughter’s home for Sunday lunch, and also met her grandchildren. In a way, I feel like a long-lost cousin! Everyone is so welcoming and kind!
Homesharing has enabled me to live in Kew, a beautiful area that I could never afford. I’m very proud to live here, and the cost savings I make on renting help. One day, I would like to buy a house and saving this amount of money each month really helps.
At the moment, saving money also gives me the opportunity to travel. My money isn’t all going on rent, so I get to travel at the weekends, which I love. I’ve been hiking in Wales, to the seaside in Cornwall and Bournemouth and even jumped on a plane to Europe for a couple of days!
If people are considering homeshare, I’d say definitely give it a go. If you don’t have other commitments and you have free time, use it to give back to people. It’s like sharing with housemates except it feels like home. Of course, I had some initial reservations around connecting with the other person and how involved in their life I would be, but these were soon quashed, it’s been amazing.
More people need to know about homesharing. It’s such a nice opportunity to be part of someone else’s life and grow as a person.”
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A Sharer’s story
“I came home from work one day and my householder took my hand and said that he was so glad that I’m here. I said the same back to him. It’s the feeling that you’re making a difference.”
The cost and loneliness of living in another county as an international student can become a burden for many young people, an experience which resonates with 32 year old Niyati from India who is studying social care at university. Facing a challenging time, Niyati discovered homesharing by chance and is now a huge advocate of this way of living. Niyati homeshares in an affluent part of London, with another sharer and cannot speak highly enough about the family connections she has built with the other sharer, the householder, and the householder’s family – and the warmth and kindness from everyone.
“As an international student, the idea of being around someone else attracted me to the idea of homesharing. I had come over to the UK from India to study and found my living situation at the time very lonely. I struggled with the isolation that came with moving to a different county. I wanted the independence that it brought, but the change of always having people around to then find yourself alone was a difficult time – there was no-one to ask how my day was, no-one to talk to.
As part of our culture, we stay with our family no matter how old they are, and therefore sharing with an older person was not new to me. I stumbled across Share and Care Homeshare during my search for accommodation on SpareRoom. I didn’t know anything about homesharing at the time, and I did a lot of research into this way of living.
I have now been living in a homeshare arrangement for 6 months and it has worked well for me. I would relate it back to my culture and the idea of giving back to someone and making an impact – homesharing is beneficial for someone else’s life and my own.
My householder lives with dementia, and I’ve built a family connection with him and his brother. The bond is for life, even if I ever move away, this connection will carry forward. We’ll always keep ties, and this is the best part of homesharing.
There is also another sharer who lives in the same house, and this is lovely as you get to talk about your day with each other. When I first met the other sharer, I didn’t know that she went to the same university as me, and now we know what’s happening in each other’s lives! We also have a lovely bond. She is a student too, and our schedules are aligned so we are able to ensure that one of us is always there for the householder if he needs us. As the householder lives with dementia, we’re always vigilant – making sure that we know what’s happening and that if for instance one of his carers is running late, we can ensure he has what he needs until they arrive.
I’ve developed a great friendship with the other sharer, and it’s helpful to know that when one of us isn’t there, the other is available to be there for our householder – so he’s never alone.
The other sharer and I were speaking this week and both said how fortunate we are to have this opportunity. If I get any opportunity to speak about it with other students, I always talk about how homeshare is so good.
The warmth from the family is very nice, and they’ve also invited us over for dinner. There is a personal connection too as my householder’s Father was born in India.
Homesharing has also made a great impact on the money that I can save. As well as studying social care at the University of Hertfordshire, I work part-time as a waitress. However, international students are only permitted to work 20 hours a week and cannot earn beyond a certain amount, so we cannot spare the money for high rents that are usually charged. The rent for one room in a similar area in which I live would be around £1,200 and that is a lot more than I pay for homesharing, which has made a huge difference to me.
My householder is very nice. One day I came home from work and as I walked through the door, he took my hand and said that he was so glad that I’m here. I said the same back to him. It’s the feeling that you’re making a difference. In fact, he says to me and the other sharer, time and time again, that he’s pleased we’re here.
We spend a lot of time talking – my householder likes to share stories and chat about his own experiences. He also enjoys finding out about my family in India. My family feel that I’m in good, safe hands living in a homeshare arrangement, and we talk everyday on video calls. I think that when your child is living abroad, one of the main concerns is safety, and they rest assured with homesharing that I am in a safe, homely environment.
If anyone is considering moving into a homeshare arrangement, I would say do it quickly! Give it a go and make sure you are matched with a likeminded person, you will not regret it! And once you are living in a homeshare, you will feel the difference.
It is especially beneficial for people who do not want to live alone, because having company helps with mental wellbeing. I realised that having a cup of tea with someone in a homeshare arrangement is so relaxing, but being alone wasn’t for me. It also saves a significant amount of money on rent which can provide a huge boost for people in similar situations to mine.”
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A Sharer’s story
“The best part of homesharing is living in a family environment – I wouldn’t
have experienced this in student accommodation.”
Moving from another country to the UK to study is an expensive time. The cost of rental
accommodation can be unaffordable, but 29 year old Damini Pal discovered a way to live
that better suited her lifestyle and was significantly cheaper. Damini grew up living with
her family and her grandparents in India and was therefore very comfortable with the
prospect of homesharing. She has lived in a homeshare arrangement for 6 months and for
Damini, the best aspect is being part of a welcoming family environment.
“I have always lived in a family environment with grandparents, and I knew that
homesharing with an older person would be right for me.
I came to the UK from India to study a post-graduate degree in graphic design at the
University of Hertfordshire, and I needed somewhere affordable to live. As a student,
you’re always looking for cost-effective accommodation and that was another reason I
chose a homeshare arrangement.
The best part of homeshare for me is that you get the friendly, family homeshare
environment, and that people treat you really well. I live with a householder who has
dementia. He is very nice, and his family are extremely nice too – I often talk with them.
When I first moved in, they explained how dementia affects my householder and the best
way I can support him. This was very helpful and prepared me for what to expect.
The family also often invite me to lunch. For me, I’m in a foreign country and when
someone treats you nicely, it’s lovely.
Another plus point is that It’s a good way to interact well with local people and to get to
know more about the area in which I live, which I wouldn’t really experience if I lived in
student accommodation.
The money-saving aspect is a big thing as the cost savings on accommodation are significant.
As well as studying, I work part-time as a nanny, which I also love. I put the money saved
through homesharing, along with the money I earn through working, aside to pay for my
extended visa when it needs renewing as that usually costs between £3,000 – £4,000.
The house that I live in is beautiful and in a really good location in London. The householder
used to be an artist and so there are a lot of paintings, royal furniture and antiques around
the home. As a graphic designer, seeing this every day is heaven! I can admire the beauty,
and feel good about what’s around me.
What’s interesting about my arrangement is that there are two sharers living in the same
home, which is very good. The other sharer is also from India and I’m so happy to be
homesharing with her. She is very well educated and has amazing manners! We have
formed a lovely friendship and often go out shopping together.
In terms of the support I provide to my householder, when you live with someone, you
never count the hours. It doesn’t work like that for me – I give as much as I can.
For example, I cook meals for my householder every day and we eat lunch and dinner
together. Our palettes our very different, I like spicy food, but my householder doesn’t so I
often cook pasta type dishes, but he’s still happy for me to cook the food I prefer in the
house too!
Interestingly, my householder’s father was born in India, so we share some common ground
there too. His own father used to cook him spicy food as a child – apparently, he never liked
it then either!
I also provide companionship for my householder. He loves music and he often talks about
the swinging 60s and listens to music from that time. I knew nothing about that era before,
so I researched it and discovered all about it!
We share an interest in music, and when I play music through Alexa, my householder laughs
– we can share the differences from our generations.
My householder also shares memories from 60s. He used to live in the same street as
Elizabeth Taylor and I get to hear all about it which is very interesting!
I am also supported by the Share and Care Homeshare team. Share and Care Homeshare
are really good people, and take time to listen. If I ever have a question or an issue, I get a
really quick reply. There is always someone there if a problem happens which is comforting,
and every month I receive an email asking how we are.”
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Dementia denial: how homeshare helps
A Sharer’s story
A Sharer’s story
A Sharer’s story
Dementia denial: how homeshare helps
Homeshare: a family member’s perspective
“For us, homeshare all happened so organically, it was smooth and extremely simple. Dad has really turned a corner.”
Dominic’s Father, Julian, lives in Dorset and has been homesharing for the past 12 months. In a fascinating twist of fate, Julian and his sharer were reconnected having previously spent several years working together!
When Julian began to experience memory loss and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, his living situation at the time came under question, and the need for some extra support became apparent. Today Julian maintains a very independent life and has a busy social calendar, yet having another person in the home to help with practical activities such as locating items and taking medication when needed, has been instrumental in ensuring Julian continues to thrive independently. (more…)
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A sharer’s story
“Homeshare is a win-win. I am saving money to realise my dreams of
starting my own company and having a home of my own one day.”
With a dream to own her own home and launch a business, 31 year old Abi knew that
living in an expensive luxury apartment wasn’t going to help her reach these goals – she
knew a change had to made. (more…)
Was this post helpful?
Was this post helpful?
Homeshare: a family member’s perspective
“For us, homeshare all happened so organically, it was smooth and extremely simple. Dad has really turned a corner.”
Dominic’s Father, Julian, lives in Dorset and has been homesharing for the past 12 months. In a fascinating twist of fate, Julian and his sharer were reconnected having previously spent several years working together!
When Julian began to experience memory loss and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, his living situation at the time came under question, and the need for some extra support became apparent. Today Julian maintains a very independent life and has a busy social calendar, yet having another person in the home to help with practical activities such as locating items and taking medication when needed, has been instrumental in ensuring Julian continues to thrive independently. (more…)
Was this post helpful?
A sharer’s story
“Homeshare is a win-win. I am saving money to realise my dreams of
starting my own company and having a home of my own one day.”
With a dream to own her own home and launch a business, 31 year old Abi knew that
living in an expensive luxury apartment wasn’t going to help her reach these goals – she
knew a change had to made. (more…)
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