Michael and Gemma, Cotswolds
Michael, 77, is an expert in Chinese medicine, while Gemma, 33, is both an equine osteopathy student and a part-time estate agent. After suffering a stroke a few years ago, Michael had little choice but to recruit a live-in carer. The expense drained his savings and he was eventually forced to seek an alternative.
“This was when the council proposed the homesharing scheme, as a supplement to the carers that pop in every day,” he says. “They put me in touch with Homeshare Gloucestershire, who introduced me to Gemma.”
Remembering that first meeting, Gemma compares it to “a weird blind date”, albeit one that culminated in Michael agreeing to put in a cat flap. “That sealed the deal,” she says.
An ability to empathise is at the heart of a successful homeshare – especially after midnight. Gemma says: “There was a time when I had to tell Michael to turn down his music at two in the morning!” Michael’s defence was that it was actually Pink Floyd making all the noise.
Homesharing has also given Gemma a new sense of resilience. She says: “It all happened at once: new home, new job, new living set up… But I’ve coped. And one of the reasons I’ve coped is because it’s genuinely comforting having another person around.”
The financial side of the arrangement has been far less significant for Michael than for Gemma. “For me it’s far more about the social gain than the financial gain,” says Michael.
“It makes sense to share. To share the heat, to share the food, to share a home. We recently collaborated on a vegan moussaka. My recipe, Gemma’s tweaks. It was a triumph.”
For Gemma, though, the money-saving element has been undeniably significant. “I work part-time as an estate agent. I see the prices,” she says.
“You’re looking at £800 for a one-bed studio in Swindon, before any bills. Living with Michael has allowed me to study as well as work. It’s been a life-changer.”
Michael feels that the homesharing initiative could even help bridge the intergenerational divide.
“Any gap or division between people isn’t useful or healthy,” he says. “Older and younger people need to rub along together. It’s a potential problem for society if they don’t. The knowhow of the older generation will get lost. And when there’s a gap, or a distance, then people are more easily misunderstood. On both sides.”
