Last Wednesday morning I awoke to an engaging story on NPR about aging Baby Boomer women with limited finances, living together to create a sense of family, save money, and have fun.
A growing number of pioneering women are starting group homes with their single peers. Some are being advertised on Craigslist as Golden Girl Houses. According to Bonnie Moore, a 60-something divorcee who lives in a well-kept, five-bedroom house in Bowie, Md., a cozy suburb of Washington, D.C., it’s “a little bit like family, a little bit like roommates, a little bit like a sorority house.”
I say more power to them! They can pool their resources, strengths & weaknesses and create a responsive new family for themselves. This is a great solution up to the point any of the “Golden Girls” needs long-term care. At that point, this model could prove stressful and problematic, as increased physical and emotional demands are made upon the housemates.
The women pictured in this story appear to be in their 50’s and 60’s, and in good enough health to qualify for long-term care insurance (LTCi). I should think that their obvious savings on rent and other household expenses would easily enable them to afford LTCi premiums, which can be reasonable.
LTCi has been, still is, and will always be the most dignified, sane option for middle class people needing long-term care.
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