Age UK Bristol has been granted funds by Age UK England to improve awareness of homesharing among older people, their families, the community and local organisations, and to strengthen partnership working with Homeshare West.
Age UK England, The Big Lottery and Lloyds Bank Foundation are partners in a major project to address, through Homesharing, the increasingly expensive and unsustainable care and housing situation.
The service offered by Homeshare West is quite unique. An older person, or someone with a disability, agrees to offer a room in their home and shared use of kitchen and bathroom facilities, free of charge. The homesharer agrees to sleep in the home at night and to give practical support and companionship in exchange for the accommodation. They both pay a small monthly fee to Homeshare West.
The aim is to meet the needs of both generations by bringing together two people who each have a lot to offer. Lasting friendships can develop between people who have been carefully matched on as many fronts as possible. Homesharing is about mutual liking and respect, independence and choice.
Homeshare West has considerable experience of matching householders and homesharers – see www.homesharewest.org for more detail or contact the Age UK Bristol information & advice service on 0117 922 5353