Resource guide
Private vs. Shared Senior Housing: What Families Should Know
Choosing between a private room and a shared room is often the biggest decision in a shared home. Here is how to think it through.
Cost
Shared rooms are usually less expensive than private rooms in the same home, because two residents split the bedroom. For someone on a fixed income, that difference can decide whether housing fits the budget at all.
Privacy and rest
A private room gives a person their own space to sleep, read, make phone calls and keep belongings. Light sleepers, people with very different schedules, and people who value quiet often prefer a private room.
Companionship
Loneliness is a real concern for older adults who live alone. A shared room, or simply a shared home, means there are other people around. Some residents welcome a roommate; others prefer a private room in a shared home, which still offers company in common areas.
Questions to ask before choosing a shared room
- How are roommates matched, and what happens if it is not working?
- How is storage divided, and is there a place to lock valuables?
- What are the expectations for visitors, phone calls and television?
- Can you move to a private room later if one opens?
Questions that apply to both
- What exactly does the monthly rate include?
- Is the room furnished, and what can you bring?
- How are the kitchen, bathrooms and cleaning shared?
- What are the house guidelines?