It has been found that nearly 80 percent of Australians are worried for their future to afford aged care services to allow them to stay in their homes. But an emerging programme in the country, called Homeshare, could significantly help Australians have an affordable access to live in households that they prefer.

Homeshare programmes will allow old householders who are living alone to be with younger, unrelated “homesharers” to benefit from the affordability of aging at home. Homesharers will be living with older householders for free, but will work in return to keep them company and do basic chores for 10 hours every week.

“It is a major benefit for young people struggling with rental markets, but more importantly, this is a way to help older Australians continue to live independently in their own homes,” said Rod Campbell, director of research at The Australia Institute.

A new study from The Australia Institute shows that more than 40 percent of lower income earners in the country are “very concerned” on how they would afford aging at their own home. Aside from low-income earners, 82 percent of people earning up to $150,000 per year also reported that they were concerned about the costs of staying at home as they age.

Even the highest income earners were also worried, and only 55 percent of people earning more than $200,000 are confident about their future.

The study has been presented on Nov 5 at the 4th World Homeshare Congress in Melbourne. The Congress aims to analyse the intergenerational challenges of ageing populations, social and disability services, housing affordability and global policy responses.

To date, several Australian cities are already acknowledging Homeshare programmes. In Melbourne, Homeshare has already been providing benefits for the community for 15 years.

The programme has already provided a net economic benefit of $11 million, and a new programme in Canberra has generated $600,000 in just over two years.

As Australia has been implementing Homeshare for aged care and disability sectors, it could provide more benefits to the wider community by looking at the efforts of other countries that have already implemented Homesharing in larger sectors, according to Homeshare Australia President Shirley Anderson. Some countries have already improved their programmes into student housing, social housing and have offered homesharers free accommodation in a nursing home.

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