Dear Healthy Aging Readers,
The summer season has finally descended on the Vineyard, it feels like it has been a long time coming. I hope, like me, you've been able to enjoy the natural beauty of our Island, whether it is spending time on our beaches, working in your garden, walking along our various trails or simply gazing up at a cumulus cloud-filled sky.
I'm delighted to share that Healthy Aging Martha's Vineyard attended the first Truth and Joy Diversity Fair at the Tabernacle on June 25th hosted by the Martha's Vineyard Diversity Coalition. It was a pleasure to connect in person with many of our Older Adult residents (and seasonal folks as well) and to participate in a celebration of our diverse cultures.
As the summer heats up, so does HAMV's efforts to address the needs of our Older Adults continue. Read on to hear about our new pilot program, Home Sharing, and let us know if you'd like to learn more.
Best,
Cindy
Cindy Trish
Executive Director, HAMV
ctrish@hamv.org
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A Win-Win: Home Sharing for Older Adults and Workforce Employees
by Abby Remer
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It’s no secret that there is a dire need for workforce housing here on the Island. At the same time, one in three Older Adults in the Vineyard live in their homes... alone. Some face financial challenges and/or experience a sense of isolation, exacerbated by the pandemic. Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard - who identifies innovative solutions to address unmet needs is undertaking an exciting, early stage pilot called Home Sharing to marry the two needs for the mutual benefit of each party.
In this model, Older Adults with available housing become the “host” to a “guest”—the renter. Getting a home sharing pilot program off the ground will be supported by a core team of HAMV, referral partners (agencies who have direct contact with Older Adults), experienced “hosts” and selected employers. HAMV will provide educational information on the “how-to’s” of home sharing. Agreements can include a specific amount of rent on a monthly basis and possibly include other ways the guest can contribute— such as yard work, snow shoveling, or whatever is mutually agreeable to both parties. Likewise, access for the guest about use of kitchen, garage, and so forth will be clearly defined.
 Executive Director Cindy Trish says, “It’s about how do we utilize assets that we already have to bring together the needs of our Older Adults and the need for workforce housing.” HAMV explored what was being done in other regions to solve this problem and came across the home sharing concept, which has proved successful in many geographies including Los Angeles, Boston and Washington State. After speaking with a number of agencies who are offering home sharing options at length, the take-away was that it’s a simple idea and one that makes sense in making short-term impact on a big problem we have on the Island.
HAMV is tweaking the model in that they are involving the employer. Trish says, “In the exploration that we’ve done an area of concern with everyone is what happens if someone moves in, and then they can’t get them to move out—a classic problem with renting.” The solution they came up ties the agreement to employment. She explains, “We have identified a number of employers who would benefit from such a program. The agreement will be drawn up between the host (home owner) and the guest, but the agreement will be dependent on employment and becomes void if they are no longer employed.” Priority will be healthcare workers.
After sharing this concept as well with the town officials, state regulators, and the Board of Health, HAMV is now in the early stages of exploring whether home sharing could work here. They will be hosting several listening sessions for people to learn more about the model and whether they would be interested in becoming a pilot host.
HAMV is hoping to trial this program with 5+ Older Adults in 2022. C urrently one home sharing pilot is underway. Our pioneer is Phyllis, who lived alone in a comfortable home in West Tisbury. Since January 2022, she shares her property with Dani, a 23-year-old woman who is employed on the island. Phyllis appreciates having someone around to care for her dog and garden when she takes short trips. Dani loves dogs and finds her living quarters (an apartment attached to the garage) to be comfortable and affordable.
If you are interested in learning more – and want to make a difference in addressing the pressing housing and workforce needs of our Island, please contact Cindy at ctrish@hamv.org. And… keep in mind, that each agreement can be customized to meet the specific needs of the host and guest, as unique as those might be.
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One of the six priority initiatives of HAMV is to support digital equity and inclusion for Older Adults, focusing on ongoing education/assistance. We are working to expand options for Older Adults to receive ongoing support for their phones, tablets and computers. We are delighted to share with you an upcoming series of educational seminars that may be of interest to our Older Adults.
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