During a recent short transition from my last homesharing arrangement to my current one, I stayed at an Airbnb. That’s where I learned about and experienced their "Superhost" classification, and it made me think about what the Silvernest equivalent might look like.

No doubt about it, these are strange days for most of us. COVID-19 is changing daily life very quickly and on a global scale. Naturally, when the rest of the world seems crazy, home is where we feel most comfortable and safe.

If you're homesharing or have roommates, shelter-in-place can be stressful—even for the best of friends and most loving of family members. But the truth is, you and your roommate must rely on each other more than ever right now—you’re in it together, quite literally!

Here are our tips for making this time at home with your roommate(s) as smooth as possible.

“We don’t deny our age. We deny the cultural scripts about what it means to be an older person.” That’s Mary Pipher, clinical psychologist and best-selling author of Reviving Ophelia, Another Country and her newest book, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age.

Matt Paxton is one of the country’s top extreme cleaning experts—you might know his name if you were a fan of the popular A&E TV show Hoarders.

Matt is especially passionate about helping older adults declutter and downsize. His expertise and deep compassion stem from the year Matt lost his father, stepfather and both grandfathers. Matt was called upon to help his mother with their possessions. As Matt says, “We had four houses to deal with! I had to figure it out, and I’m still doing it 18 years later.”

As a guest on Silvernest’s Share Your Story podcast, Matt offered a huge insight that transformed how we think about decluttering and downsizing.

Empty nest syndrome is not a vague, theoretical issue—it’s a real problem impacting millions. According to the Mayo Clinic, grown-up kids’ transition out of the home can lead to their parents feeling sadness, loss and disconnection.

On the other hand, this major life transition also represents opportunity to rediscover old hobbies, find new interests and make new connections. An active lifestyle is important at all stages of life, but even more critical if you’re an empty nester. It creates a foundation of mental and physical health that allows you to stay independent and in your home for years to come.

The majority of us have put a stake in the ground for anyone who cares to listen. We are going to age in our own homes. We will exercise our freedom to choose to age on our terms and in our own way. The term “Age in Place” shows up everywhere but no one tells us exactly what that means, how we can do this vibrantly, and how this choice affects our health as we move from our 50s to our 60s and our 70s.

Homesharing has been around for years and has inspired some of America’s most beloved TV and movie characters. Here are a few of our favorite housemates from over the years. Who are your favorites?