Twin Cities roommate program helps older adults stay in their homes
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A unique program in the Twin Cities metro area is trying to address two housing problems at the same time: older adults who’d like to remain in their homes as they age and young adults looking for a place to live.
The Home Matching Service by Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota pairs the two together. The program’s manager, Mary Speer, told MPR News that the service is being revived from an early 2000s iteration.
“It was very popular before, and as we can now see with the amount of interest that we're getting now, people really do still see the value in home sharing,” she said.
The program allows homeowners 55 years old or older who live alone to be paired with a single adult, 18 years old or older, to help with chores, rent and social connection. Applicants go through a rigorous vetting process to make sure it’s a good match.
“But ultimately, each person gets to make that ultimate decision of who they want to share their home with,” Mary explained.
The program is still in a pilot phase but interested applicants can find more information here.
Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above.
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