Cool Things My Friends Do (Week #114) - Ann Fry and Senior Flat Mates on CBS Morning News

Each week on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their personal and professional lives.

My friend Ann Fry, and her roommate Dina Wilcox, were featured on the CBS Morning News this week.  Ann and Dina share an apartment in New York City, and are part of a growing trend of seniors who share living expenses (but don't call the Boomer Roomies!).  They even have a blog called Senior Flat Mates that chronicles their lives and provides advice to other seniors who seek to live with roommates.

(link to video on CBS News Website: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/growing-number-of-older-americans-choose-to-live-with-roommates/)

Ann met Dina a few years ago after moving to New York from Austin, TX.  I know Ann from the professional speaker community in Austin, I had breakfast with her on a visit to NYC last year.  She told me all about how they came to sharing an apartment and the wonderful friendship that has grown over the past few years.  

The situation provides a more affordable living situation, companionship, and someone to make sure all is okay on a daily basis (when you get older, living alone can mean other challenges, and having someone nearby brings peace of mind).  

Rent in places like New York (and other cities) has become very expensive.  The single "20-Somethings" share apartments to afford living in the city, it only makes sense that the single "60-Somethings" could do the same thing.  

The duo are in the process of writing a book and hosting seminars to help others create great life with roommates.  The idea is not different from the old TV shows "The Odd Couple" or "The Golden Girls", and I applaud Ann and Dina for their efforts to educate others on how to make it work.  Happy to feature them as week #114 of "Cool Things My Friends Do".

Have A Great Day

thom singer