Testimonials
Please enjoy reading some of the things our clients say about Homesharing.
Please take a look at what our Homeowners children and relatives have to say about Homesharing:
“We found Homeshare Living at a moment when we were becoming desperate as to how best to support our nearly 99-year-old Mother who wished to stay in her own home. Sarah Kaye was a warm, charming delight to talk to and managed to magically find a very suitable, kind and caring “sharer” to move in with our Mother in central Cambridge. We were so pleased to have a thoughtful and calm woman in the house who ensured our Mother was eating and drinking, talked to her, kept things clean and tidy and was in good touch with us so that we knew if all was well or if we were needed. I really wish we had organised this arrangement earlier, as to find companionship and support for those no longer able to be independent is a godsend.
I do hope that she is able to establish these mutually beneficial arrangements in Cambridge and further afield. Sarah runs a brilliant and very professional agency and I have no hesitation in recommending Homeshare Living unequivocally!”
“Homeshare is an excellent service for the elderly who need more companionship than carers. For my family, the fact that we had someone living in and being with my mother during the day whilst we were at work, being there for my mother, providing companionship and ensuring that she ate her meals, was total peace of mind. Sarah was really lovely to deal with. She knew exactly what we required, who to place with my mother and you could talk to Sarah at any time. I would highly recommend Homeshare Living’s service for your elderly parents.”
“We had an excellent experience with Homeshare Living – very professional and extremely diligent, taking the time to find the right “match” for my mum, who was in need of some companionship and support during her early stages of dementia. We hosted a lovely lady who couldn’t have been kinder and more understanding of my mum’s condition – we were very lucky to find her! I would fully recommend Homeshare Living to anyone with a loved one who could benefit from extra companionship, especially at this time of loneliness and isolation.”
“Since her husband died, our 84-year-old mother has wanted to continue living in the large family home. Initially this was not a problem, but gradually it became more difficult. Being very independent, mum slowly became more open to the idea of a home-sharer. Sarah Kaye and Homeshare Living have identified great homesharers for mum and have been wonderfully supportive and sensitive at all stages of the process. As her needs have increased, it is a tremendous comfort to know that there is a friendly homesharer in the house who can help with shopping, cooking and basic household tasks. I would recommend Homeshare Living to anyone looking for a home-sharer.”
“We looked into a homeshare for our mum after our father passed away. Mum wanted to remain at home whilst facing the challenges of progressing Alzheimers. Sarah took the time to get to know us all well before suggesting a great homesharer. Thank you for being so understanding and supportive throughout. We would highly recommend Homeshare Living; thank you Sarah!”
“We are certainly very grateful to have Vanessa on site keeping a watchful eye over our uncle. We couldn’t be happier. He was initially understandably cautious but is now openly very grateful to her and calls her ‘the angel’. She’s really taken the pressure off us which is fantastic. She makes meals for him, does his shopping and runs some errands. It’s made a massive difference having her around especially in lockdown and with the shorter days and winter ahead”
“Mickey has been very responsive helping with aspects of Dad’s medication (hiding the unused pills in the safe!) and most recently tracking down Dad’s responder alarm. This is all incredibly helpful and just what I hoped for from a Homesharer. Tonight, Mickey is facilitating Dad to watch Watford play live on the television – it’s a real godsend that Mickey is an engaged football supporter and understands the value of this to Dad. The frequency of ‘help’ calls from Dad has really gone down too since Mickey moved in and Dad seems really happy.”
“It was a big step for our Mum, opening her home to someone new. Sarah at Homeshare Living took time to understand Mum – her character, her needs and her preferences – and to match someone accordingly. It took a few weeks, but that just gave us all more confidence the right match would be made. During this assignment process Sarah’s service was exemplary, and she continued to check in thereafter with all of us.”
“Homesharing has made such a difference to my mum’s life. She is much happier as she is not alone in the evenings, and she has someone else to chat to, share meals with and care about. It has also given me immense peace of mind that someone is there in case anything happens. Mum is well in to her 90’s now and I feel sure that things would have been very different, and she would probably not have been able to stay in her home these last few years if she hadn’t had a Sharer.”
“We were very fortunate to have been introduced to Carol at Homeshare Living by a family friend, whose mother is a very satisfied client. Both Carol and Sarah made sure to fully, carefully and most importantly of all, caringly understand the various needs of my mother. They explained exactly what to expect from them, and went about finding a suitable match. Somewhat surprisingly, but in a good way, it didn’t take long until we were shown an excellent profile of a potential Sharer along with her references. After a couple of face-to-face meetings, we all came to an agreement and Homeshare Living arranged the rest.
This is a truly amazing concept and one that if managed correctly really is a win-win for all concerned. Carol and Sarah have gone above the call of duty to make this a very pleasant, personal and professional service. I can honestly say, as a caring son who lives overseas, I feel confident my beloved mother is enjoying her independence in her own home with the security of having a highly reliable and caring Homesharer.”
“I just wanted to highly recommend the service that our family got from Homeshare Living, which gave our family another level of reassurance when it came to the care of our father.
Dad was not at the stage that he needed full time care, so the idea of someone who is carefully checked coming into the house to live with Dad was something that was intriguing. When the concept was explained in detail, that this person would be there to give company and general help of 10 hours a week around the house, it was a no brainer as far as we were concerned.
A couple of profiles were put forward and the lady we went with was wonderful. She and Dad got on like a house on fire. When she moved in, it was a weight off our minds. She was there in the occasional case that Dad needed help overnight. She was just there at all times – it was an amazing fit – and credit needs to go to Homeshare Living for finding the right person. As a family, we can’t recommend Homeshare Living highly enough, and the peace and security that they bought us over Dad’s final months. Thanks to Carol and Sarah for their help over this period.”
And here’s what some of our Homeowners have to say about Homesharing:
“When I first decided that Homeshare was right for me I was fortunate enough to choose Sarah Kaye at Homeshare Living… she is a genius at pairing people together.
I have had two wonderful young ladies living in my home to support me in looking after my husband who has Alzheimer’s. First was Victoria from Canada, and later Ros from Scotland. They were both brilliant and fitted in with my family perfectly and were a great, great help to me. I still remain in touch with them now that my husband is in a Care Home.
I can thoroughly recommend Homeshare Living and would be happy to give a personal reference should that be needed. Sarah, thank you for all your help and extreme kindness.”
“All my life, coming from a big family, through my childhood, my younger days then in my family home with my wife and four children, I have always had people around me. To suddenly be alone in a big house when your wife has passed away and your children left is very hard. Knowing I am no longer alone, I feel lighter when I wake in the morning. You can’t put a price on having someone else in the house.”
“When my daughter first mentioned the idea of a Homeshare to me, I was reluctant because I didn’t like the idea of someone else living in the house and the thought of a stranger made me a bit nervous. Now I wouldn’t want to be without a Sharer. I used to get quite anxious being alone at night and it’s very nice and reassuring to know that someone is there overnight. Lorena is lovely and very helpful. It’s very nice having her around. We watch the news together and chat about things. She cooks for me and yesterday made some absolutely yummy leek and potato soup which was so good.”
“I didn’t really want someone living in the house but I knew it was the right thing. I am so happy now because Victoria is such a lovely person and so kind. At the beginning I was a bit nervous of how to be and act, having a stranger in the house, but so quickly she seemed like family, that I am now very comfortable to walk around in my dressing gown in the evenings!
She is such a sweet and lovely young lady. She sits with my husband who has dementia, or takes him out for walks on the weekend, which helps me so that I can pop out to the shops, or just have some time to myself. She always texts me to see what food she can pick up on her way home from work. We are all very happy with the Homeshare and we want her to stay. She is going home at Christmas and we will miss her. She is such a nice person and always so keen to help.”
“My Sharer has been with me for 12 months and is an overnight reassuring presence and helps me with meals at weekends. She also helps with IT issues and she waters my plants. She is kind and quiet and we have grown to love each other. We have lots of good discussions when we share meals. It is good to have a nice, reliable person in your house, I certainly feel happier for it.”
“We are really good friends and she gives me so much company. We sit together, watch tv together, play games and we eat together a lot, although we have different food tastes. I love all her vegetables and pasta and stir fries, she doesn’t like my cooking so much, but that is ok! She is very pleasant to have around in the flat. I feel much less lonely and am very happy to know I have company in the evening and someone is there at night. I would not want to be without a Sharer now.”
“I am a woman of 87 years with limited vision. My family had been worried about my living alone for some time but I was resistant to having a stranger living in. I was very impressed by the idea of Homeshare. It seemed like the ideal solution for me as it would give me the reassurance that someone else was here at night, and also some practical help and companionship during the day.
Sarah gave us both a very high standard of personal service, carefully matching me with a sharer according to our personalities and interests, coming to all the meetings, drawing up a Homeshare agreement that we were both happy with, and always being available by phone. Sarah has made a very good match with Olivia and myself. She is a mature young woman of 24 who was working in a retail store before the Lockdown started. She is a great companion, encouraging me to lead a full and fun life.
During these last few weeks in Lockdown, we have both kept well and we are keeping busy and finding things to do every day. We have been churning out drawers, cupboards and wardrobes and we also turned out the kitchen cupboards. We go out for a walk every day to get some fresh air and I am writing every day which is keeping me busy. Olivia has taught me to use FaceTime so I am able to see my great grandchildren and I speak to my family and friends regularly. We always seem to find things to do during the day and we watch tv together in the evenings.
I am so grateful to have Olivia here with me as my Homesharer. I really couldn’t have coped on my own during this year and lockdown. She is a wonderful and kind companion and helper and I feel incredibly lucky to have her here with me and in my life.”
“My Sharer is so incredibly nice; it’s going really well. I can’t say a bad thing about her. She is brilliant, just so great. It’s fantastic having her. She’s so helpful too. She does some cooking, we watch tv together and have been to see a few films. I am so much happier with her here; we get on incredibly well.”
Please take a look at what some of our Sharers say about Homesharing:
Dear Sarah. I felt that it was time for me to write to thank you for the very committed and professional service you gave me when I applied to Homeshare Living to be considered as a ‘sharer’, three months ago. As you know, the fact that I’m not quite so youthful as many of the other applicants had led me to expect to be turned down and told that I was ineligible for the scheme, so I was delighted to be told that you would do your very best to try to match me with a suitable homeowner. This you certainly did! I had expected the application process to be quite complex, but in fact it was very straightforward, and I was particularly grateful for the way that you kept me fully informed at every stage of your search for the ideal ‘match’. Meeting up with you for a long and relaxed chat over coffee and cake was an unexpectedly enjoyable part of the application process, and it was pretty obvious to me that your success as the owner of Homeshare Living is because of your genuine kindness and determination to obtain the best results for both sharer and homeowner.
Sarah, once again I send you my thanks, along with best wishes for the continuing success of Homeshare Living in 2022.
“Homeshare Living is a wonderful organisation which brings together two people and will leave you with happy memories for a lifetime. I am so glad I did this especially as I was terrified to begin with. I now feel a part of the home and can’t thank the homeowner and Homeshare Living enough for this fantastic opportunity. If you’re thinking about it you should do it, it gives you great satisfaction to feel like you’re helping somebody and it’s a fantastic way to learn new things about yourself.”
“Homeshare Living has been a great experience for me. Being able to live in a beautiful home with a lovely lady which really feels like a home away from home. Homeshare Living have been truly helpful and supportive in every way which makes the process so much more relaxed for me. I couldn’t be happier and I’m saving each month which covers my objective. I have my own space including my own bathroom and it’s a much better way than renting. Highly recommend this experience and agency.”
“This is a brilliant service that offers the opportunity to live at a low cost with someone who can benefit from practical help and company. I started living with Gill a few months ago. Gill is a lovely 84-year-old woman who has some mobility and memory problems. She has a beautiful house where I have access to a wonderful space to work and a quiet and comfortable bedroom. In exchange, I cook meals, drive her to appointments, do the shopping, and chat and watch the news with her. We are both very independent but also enjoy each other’s company. I totally recommend Homeshare Living.”
“The service provided at Homeshare Living is of very high standards. I can comfortably say that the level of professionalism, guidance/general knowledge, sensitivity and support is excellent. I am grateful to Sarah for the great match with an interesting 97 years old lady with whom I have developed a bond with, got to know her lovely family and their cute dogs also, have had some memorable moments of joy during the time I stayed with the lady. My experience is that Sarah is attentive to the homeowner as well as the homesharer, she is approachable, kind, always available and I feel she truly cares.
I had a great experience and I certainly recommend it.”
“A fantastic scheme with very helpful people – excellent all round and highly recommended to international students. It has been one of the enriching experiences of my life. It has helped me to cope with the loneliness during the pandemic. I have enjoyed the company of an elderly lady and become more familiar with the British costume and culture.”
“I could not be happier with the service provided. Sarah called me the day after I registered and told me about two potential homeowners that would match my profile and arranged a meeting for the following week. I couldn’t have made a better match myself; we have lots of things in common, I was immediately made welcome and introduced to friends and family.
I wholeheartedly recommend this to any elderly person looking for companionship and/or young adult happy to offer a few hours a week of their time in exchange for getting to know and hang out with interesting people with great stories. As a bonus, the fee is paid monthly to the agency for everyone’s peace of mind and sense of security, a fee that is well below average rent so it’s great for students or people looking to save some money.”
“I came to the UK about a year ago and stayed on a few friends’ couches until I discovered Homesharing. Through Sarah and Homeshare Living I found a suitable Homeshare with a lovely elderly lady that I quickly became fond of, the family was also very welcoming and accommodating and I was more than happy to be able to help my home sharer around the house and with whatever she needed.
Staying in a Homeshare allowed me to settle and become more confident in living in the UK, and also helped me save up for University tuition! I would recommend Homeshare and Homeshare Living to anyone who was in my position and new to life in busy London or just someone who wouldn’t want to live alone and is happy to help out around the home.”
“I would like to thank Sarah for her help and support in finding a perfect match for me. I enjoyed every moment spent with the homeowner and never felt lonely. An amazing experience and very pleased with my decision to register with Homeshare Living. Sarah is a lovely person and always there when you need her. I highly recommend their services. Thank you once again Sarah for everything. Much appreciated.”
“My experience with Homeshare was incredible. I got along very well with the family I was paired with and I truly enjoyed the time we spent together. Homeshare provided me with the opportunity to work and live in a city I could not otherwise afford, and also introduced me to a wonderful family who I look forward to staying in touch with far into the future.
Sarah made the process of finding a suitable Homeshare quick and easy. She was very communicative and respectful throughout the process. I always felt that my needs were heard, and I felt very confident I was entering into an agreement both myself and the homeowners would be happy with.”
“I had previously been a house sharer in a private agreement in my home town, so when I moved to London for work, it seemed like a logical way for me to integrate into London life and make friends. I researched homesharing in London and found Sarah and the team at Homeshare Living. They made the whole process easy and stress free. Within a few weeks, I was placed with a lovely elderly lady who needed company. Her daughters made me feel part of the family and I could not have asked for more. It was great having the Homeshare Living team check upon me every month; it gave me the reassurance that I wasn’t alone. I highly recommend Homeshare Living to any would-be sharer.”
“Homeshare Living is a great way to live in London affordably while providing some practical support and companionship to an elderly person. It is a win-win for everyone involved!
You get to live in a city like London with high rents in a great house and neighbourhood which allows you to pursue your career or studies with a peace of mind. Knowing that there is someone you can bond over board games, music, adventures or life stories gives it a feeling of home. Would highly recommend this unique experience!”
“Homeshare Living gave me an invaluable life experience. I feel over the course of the year living with a wonderful, welcoming lady I have learnt a lot. The company is very good at communication responding immediately should there be any inquiries or concerns.”
“I am so glad for Sarah’s help at Homeshare Living. I had been searching for Homeshare and found that throughout the whole process Sarah was very professional and caring. She carefully took note of all details I shared with her and actively listened to me. She found the perfect householder for me, for which I am very grateful. Thank you so much Sarah for your help!”
“Homesharing is a great way to find a secure living arrangement with a person who appreciates your company. If you are at a moment in your life where you want to concentrate on what’s important to you, maybe working less hours, studying, volunteering, then homesharing can be the solution to making that happen, without paying heavy rents and bills.
Homeshare Living is run by really caring and friendly individuals who take the time to listen to you and always work to ensure that homesharers and homeowners are happy and content in their arrangement. I strongly recommend Homeshare Living in particular as their vetting and matching efforts are thorough and professional and they are always there to help.”
“Cheap rent and helping someone to not feel lonely like me. These were my main points that attracted me to become a homesharer. So, in return for 10 hours of light housework and companionship, you will get cheap accommodation and the satisfaction of “adopting” a grandmother/grandfather.
Carol and Sarah helped me match with my new “grandfather”, establishing meetings first to make sure that everyone was on the same page and once everyone was happy I moved in. I truly enjoyed my time as my “grandfather” was quite a character and I looked forward to come from work and hear all his fascinating stories from his youth. He liked it when I would bring him shopping or when I would cook for him. Because I have some technical background, he absolutely loved it when I would set up games on his PC and teach him how to play them. Sometimes I would help with more than 10 hours because I didn’t have the heart to let him go without help. For those who would like to take this program on, expect that it might sometimes go above what the contract stipulates. I did not mind it when I had more time as I really enjoyed helping. Communication is key and I would encourage to always express yourself and talk to family members or Carol or Sarah.”
