04/07/2025
A daughter’s story – June 2025
“Moving into a care home or having a carer just wasn’t the right choice for my Dad, I thought there must be an option in between – and there was -homesharing.”
Tanya’s Father, Ahmad (88) has been homesharing for two years, and his current sharer, Prathiba (read her story below) has brought much joy to the family. The close bond between the two is clear, and Prathiba is an important part of the family who all have the greatest respect for each other and share a special connection. Homesharing has provided Tanya with reassurance, peace of mind and security, whilst her Father feels safe, happy and content living in own home.
“When my Mum passed away in 2019, Dad was on his own in the house. Whilst he has a few medical issues, he’s fully mobile and very capable of looking after himself, but I had concerns in terms of his safety and security whilst alone in the home.
Although my Dad and I live close by to each other, I have an adult son with disabilities who requires full-time care, and I found myself in the position of supporting Dad with the little time I had left on my hands. Also, my brother doesn’t live locally, so we needed another option as we were worried about the likelihood of falls and the security aspect such as whether Dad was remembering to lock doors overnight when I wasn’t there.
The idea of moving into a care home just wasn’t the right choice, and I knew that there must be another option. We looked into live-in care, but again it wasn’t right for Dad’s situation, and I started to think outside the box and question whether there was an option in-between. I didn’t know what choices were out there, but I knew that Dad didn’t need a care home or a carer.
A social worker mentioned homesharing as a way of having someone else around for my Dad, and it seemed like the right thing to do. I chose Share and Care Homeshare as it is based near to where my Dad lives and they know the area so well.
There were two key aspects that I really liked about Share and Care Homeshare. They undertake DBS checks on sharers which I feel is very important. Also, the reassurance, peace of mind and security knowing that if anything happens to Dad, or if he has a fall, we can be alerted straight away by the sharer.
Pratibha moved in with Dad more than a year ago, and he’s far happier having someone else around. He doesn’t really have any interests, and he doesn’t necessarily need to be involved in any activity, but having another person there makes him feel like the house is busy – it’s much better than a quiet house.
Prathiba’s job means that she can work from home sometimes, so the house is not empty, there is always a presence.
Dad doesn’t cook as much as he used to, but Pratibha’s cooking is great and she often cooks lovely Indian dishes plus other meals like pasta or noodles which he enjoys trying. We often all go out together for dinner too which is lovely. She also helps out with various other jobs like doing the laundry or cleaning.
They also enjoy each other’s company, and as Dad likes football, they often watch the games together or take walks together.
Pratibha fits in perfectly as part of the family, and she comes over to my home sometimes too. We all know each other so well, and she has also made friends with my son. Dad has even met her family in India via online calls which has been nice.
When Dad was alone, I was worried about him but since Pratibha has moved in it all feels more relaxed for everyone. Dad now understands why I was worried and has recognised the difference it makes having a sharer in the home. On a day-to-day basis he’s much more relaxed, and less anxious.
I didn’t really know what to expect with homesharing, but when she’s not there, Dad’s demeanour completely changes. He needs a younger person around the home. He feels more relaxed, and so do I.
Pratibha hit the ground running straight away! She was very used to living with wider family in India, and in the UK was seeking an alternative from living in shared housing with people her own age. She very much wanted to feel part of something. Pratibha supports Dad and in turn she has a base to call home in which she can also explore London. Homesharing is positive all round.”
