Homesharing matchup agencies for seniors : a literature review

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on homesharing for elderly people with emphasis on non-profit matching agencies. After presenting a general definition and describing the most common types of homesharing, two relevant social trends are examined. The major proponents of this practice are then considered. An overview of the clients of homesharing agencies, the types of homesharing arrangements and of the agencies themselves will follow. The paper concludes with a discussion of questions raised by the literature review.