Category Archives: Standard Post

6 Tips to Help You Survive in a Shared Housing Situation

Boarding Homes, Shared Housing, Standard Post

Shared housing isn’t exactly something new and is actually quite common in the country. With rent prices on the rise in major cities, a number of people are looking at shared housing as an alternative to the unaffordable housing options out there. Aside from the costs, another reason for choosing sharing housing is for the sake of convenience. However, it’s not always easy living in a shared house. Things can get quite uncomfortable and awkward with your housemates, especially if you’re living with people you don’t know. It’s best to come up with a set of rules, so things are kept under control. Here are a few of our tips on how to survive life in a shared house:

1. Share Responsibilities

No one likes to live in a pigsty, right? If you’re going to live with people, it’s best to be a good housemate. Work with your housemates on sharing house cleaning responsibilities, so you all help keep things tidy. On top of that, we recommend that you all set aside a certain amount of days you’re going to clean the entire house. After all, sharing is caring.

2. Talk About Your Needs and Preferences

It’s pretty easy to be misunderstood when you don’t know your housemates well. It’s always good to talk about what you need and what you don’t. If you like your privacy or can’t stand having loads of people in the house all the time, then it’s best to lay these things out on the table. This way, your housemates will know what to expect from you.

3. Discuss Room Sharing

When you’re sharing a house, it’s not unusual to have to share a room with a housemate. If you’re comfortable sharing a room with your housemates, make sure you’ve spoken about the sleeping arrangements. It’s important to discuss your sleeping style and habits. Also, it’s good to discuss how the room will be used. For example, will you all share it for general use, or is it private for one person only?

4. Make Time For Each Other

If you’re living with housemates, it’s really important to make time to just chat with them once in a while. There are times when your housemates will want to speak with you without the need to be prompted about it. So, if you see your housemates, make time to talk to them. This way, you’ll get to know your housemates better and make things less awkward between you.

5. Have the Food Talk

Another common problem in shared houses is the topic of sharing food. Whether you’re sharing food or not, it’s crucial to have a discussion about it with your housemates. If you are sharing food with your housemates, it’s best to be a little considerate and lend a hand during dinner time. Also, you might have to consider what you’re about to eat depending on the other people in the house. It’s not unusual for food preferences to clash, so it’s best to make sure everyone’s okay with the food that’s being served.

6. Respect Agreements

If you’ve negotiated house rules with your housemates, it’s best to stick to them. Remember, whatever you’re going to do in the house, you’ve to respect the other people in there. If you and your housemates have agreed to share certain household duties, make sure you do them. If something’s not up to par, it’s best to talk to your housemates and work things out.

Conclusion

Living with a group of people is quite an undertaking and takes a lot of effort. However, it’s not impossible if you work together as a team. Just remember to be considerate, respect your housemates’ needs, and have the right mindset.

Learning how to live with others and respecting their needs and personalities can help you understand the different people around you. Glendale House supports this idea by providing affordable housing for special needs populations. We take an inter-disciplinary approach to our management as well as a team approach to our service offerings. Experience shared housing services like no other with Glendale House. Feel free to reach out to us today!

Why Socialization Is Important for Senior Wellness

Group Homes, Halfway Homes, Shared Housing, Standard Post

The need for socialization and interaction does not go away simply because one has hit a certain age. Many times, older adults start to suffer more health problems when they live alone and have no community to engage with.

The need for accessible social circles is what makes shared housing such a helpful and sought-after living situation for seniors. This goes beyond nursing homes for those that need additional care, too. There are so many communities built for elderly individuals and help them thrive in this stage of their life.

The significance of socialization for seniors and their well-being cannot be understated.

It Helps Fight Depression and Anxiety

Older adults are just as susceptible to depression and anxiety as anyone else. In fact, many seniors become more prone to developing these mental health issues when they do not have a strong social network.

Isolation and feelings of abandonment can push feelings of depression and anxiety over the edge. Living with a community of like-minded individuals can help seniors keep these feelings at bay. Not only will it promote a positive environment but also give them room to express their feelings with people in the same boat.

Seniors Get to Maintain a Sense of Community

When seniors have the chance to live in a space centered around their age group, it gives them the opportunity to maintain a sense of place and community. This can go a long way in terms of helping them to cope with changes in their life and any previous social circle.

Much joy and peace can be taken from having a place in society. In times of retirement, it can be difficult to separate one’s identity from the working individual. With continued socialization, older people can maintain their feelings of worth in self and society.

Consistent Engagement is Good for Memory

Not only is socialization good for your self-esteem and other mental health factors, but it also helps keep memory and cognition intact. Studies have shown that those with a strong social engagement tend to have a more active brain function and better memory retention than those that do not.

Simple acts such as hanging out, having conversations, and doing different activities can keep up the engagement that the brain needs to sustain recall and episodic memory.

More Activities Can Maintain Mobility and Cognition

With time, physical and cognitive decline is going to be a challenge for everyone. Quality of life is at stake when it becomes hard to move around and think clearly. In order to live in a state of wellness, it is crucial to engage in activities that are fun but can keep you up and moving.

For older individuals, it’s more motivating to try out different activities that keep up their motor and motor functions when it can be done with others.

Conclusion

Shared housing is a great way for seniors to enjoy their later years and stay in a supportive community. The community is ideal for those with physical and mental limitations, too. With enough socialization, there’s no reason this chapter of one’s life needs to feel empty and restrictive.

Stayhaven Homes offers the best affordable shared housing in Stanislaus. We understand the need for inclusive living environments, so contact us for a free tour and appointment. 

Our Beginner’s Guide to Finding the Right Housemate

Boarding Homes, Group Homes, Halfway Homes, Shared Housing, Sober Living, Standard Post, Transitional Living

Shared housing can be a great option if you’re looking for affordable and flexible housing solutions. Despite how conveniently shared housing is, it doesn’t come without its own unique challenges. One of the most difficult things about shared housing is finding the right housemate. This is easier said than done as there are a slew of different things that you need to do to find a good housemate. You’ll want to be thorough when doing this as living with someone that’s incompatible with you and the living arrangements will cause a lot of problems for you down the line. 

To help you out with this, we thought it would be useful to put together a short article on how to connect with a good housemate. If this is something that you’re interested in learning more about, read on for our beginner’s guide to finding the right housemate.

Determine Your Needs and Deal Breakers

The first thing you’ll want to do is to determine your needs and your deal breakers. By establishing these two things, you’ll be able to accurately sift through potential housemates. When it comes to your needs, make sure that they are reasonable as you may have a hard time locating a good housemate if your standards are too high. When it comes to your dealbreakers make sure that they are really things that you absolutely can’t live with. The last thing you want is to have a list of deal breakers that are composed of minor annoyances. Sharing a house with someone is all about compromise, so it’s best to keep an open mind.

Get the Word Out

Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to get the word out. Make sure to maximize your network so that you can reach as many people as possible. Looking for a housemate within your network is also preferred as it’ll likely be someone you know or an acquaintance of an acquaintance. You’ll also want to utilize the internet and social media as these are the most effective ways to find potential housemates.

Talk to Potential Housemates

Once you’ve found potential housemates, it’s time to sit down and talk to them. This is crucial as this will allow you to have a better feel of the kind of person they are. When it comes to talking to potential housemates, be sure to ask relevant questions that will help you decide whether or not they’ll be good to live with. You should ask questions about what they are looking for in terms of housing and why they are looking for shared housing solutions.

Ask for References

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure to ask them for references. While we aren’t saying you can’t trust them, it’s best to be thorough when it comes to choosing a housemate as you’ll be spending a lot of time with them. For the best results, try to find someone with references that speak highly of them and their character.

Conclusion

We hope this article proves to be useful when it comes to helping you find the right housemate. While living with someone you barely know may seem odd, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem as long as you pick a good housemate. Be sure to keep all of the information we’ve listed above in mind so you can find the right housemate for you.

If you’re looking for shared housing in Sacramento, then you’ve come to the right place. We here at Stayhaven Homes are dedicated to helping our clients by providing them with inclusive and affordable housing. We provide a wide variety of special needs housing options for adult men and women. For more information on what we can do for you, visit our website today!