The death of her husband four years ago left Sheila French dreading the long, dark evenings alone.

“As soon as it turned dark, I would hate it,” she told The i Paper . “I have a big house and I have got security, but I felt both loneliness and a sense of insecurity.”

It was this loneliness and a feeling of insecurity which drove her to make a major change in her life.

She decided to venture into a home share living arrangement, inviting a younger person to move in for company and support.

‘Now I don’t have to be alone’

“Now I don’t have to be alone if I don’t want to, there’s somebody to talk to and it’s nice to get up in the morning and say hello to someone”, she said. “The age difference doesn’t matter to me at all.”

Sheila is one of a number of retired homeowners looking to sha

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