“Oh no, I’m not ready yet” is what she said to me when I called her. Shirley (not her real name) is ninety-two and a member of my extended community. She lives in a two-floor condo, but because she …
Pressured to Move Closer to Adult Children? (How to Get Them to Stop.)
The holiday season arrived and the traveling began. Adult children hosted their parents, or traveled with the grandchildren to the homes of their parents. We journey great distances to see mom and …
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How Ken and Kathy Stumbled the Third Time
Ken and his wife, Kathy, had had two long-term wonderful and fulfilling experiences of sharing housing with others. So when they invited a single mother and her two daughters to live with them it …
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Who’s in Your Bubble?
The “bubble” in this era of social distancing has become our metaphor for the people that we can touch, eat with, and generally behave normally with. For families, it is clear who is in their …
Barriers to Shared Housing
There are real barriers to shared housing. Very few people want to move. It takes energy, and change is disruptive. You need to follow a good selection process to do it well. It is much easier to stay …
Are the Golden Girls Home-Mates?
“I want a Golden Girls home.” It’s a common refrain about living in shared housing. But what does that really mean? It means that they see the half-hour show of humor, the easy hanging-out at home, …
