'Like we're roommates': How a 79-year-old found company and a little extra help by letting a student move in

Dorothy Rusoff, 79, has been relying on video calls to stay in touch with her friends during the pandemic but sometimes still finds herself stumped by her laptop.

Luckily, her new roommate, 23-year-old Maggie Meier, is now there to help her.

"She's a genius!" said Rusoff with a laugh.

"I think it's going well. I think we've resolved the grievances with technology so far," added Meier, a student at Ryerson University.

The two found each otherthanks to a program called Canada Homeshare, which pairs older adults who have extra space in their homes with students in need of affordable rent.

In the years since it launched as a pilot project in Toronto in 2018, the program has expanded to Vancouver, Peel Region and Kingston, with more Ontario locations, such as Barrie, Oshawa, and Peterborough, in the works.

"The response is overwhelming," said Dr. Raza Mirza, the network manager for the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly, which created the program. "It highlights for us that there really is an unmet need in our community."

WATCH |How intergenerational housing can help solve Toronto's housing crisisand let seniors age in place:

How intergenerational housing can help solve Toronto's housing crisis and allow seniors to age in place

3 years ago

Duration 2:06

A housing program is looking to tackle isolation and affordability in one fell swoop. Canada HomeShare brings students and seniors together to live as roommates, helping older adults age in place while giving young people access to affordable rent. CBC Toronto met with a pair involved in the initiative.

Seniors 'desperately' want to stay in their own space

Mirza says the idea is about more than giving students a financial break or providing a new source of income for seniors.

"We are moving towards really addressing isolation and loneliness through this program," he said.

Rochelle McAlistermanages mental health and addictions programs for seniorsat WoodGreen Community Services in Toronto.

McAlister, who is not affiliated with Canada HomeShare, said that in her experience seniors "desperately" want to stay in their own space, but sometimes lack the support to do so.

"We know that seniors constantly face isolation challengesand particularly in the pandemic, it's become quite disastrous," said McAlister.

"We have a huge goal of keeping people living independentlyin their homes for as long as possible," she said, explaining that Canada HomeShareand other programs like it can help.

'Looking for someone else to be in the house'

That was the situation Rusoff found herself in.

"I was really looking for someone else to be in the house. My husband passed away a number of years ago," she said."And people said, 'You should move.' But I thought, 'Where am I going to move to? Because I love my house.'"

After reading about the program in the newspaper, Rusoff felt it was the right fit for her and was eventually paired with Meier, who happened to be looking for a place to live.

"My mom was helping [with] my search. She found this program and was so excited, she said 'Maggie, this is right up your alley!'" said Meier.

As part of their agreement, Meier has also committed to pitching in around the house for seven hours every week. That's where troubleshooting on the laptop comes in.

"The one that is the most important to me is the computer. The computer and garbage!" Rusoff said.

For her part, Meiersays she came into the arrangement "really excited" for the companionship of living with a roommate,and hasn't been disappointed.

"I wasn't really sure how I was going to be of help to Dorothy I could tell she was incredibly independent," Meier said.

"I feel like in our case it feels like we're roommates, and not like I'm supporting someone."