The Elder Home Share Story: Remembering David Bell

David Bell who passed in 2021 continues to be a an important memory and part of the Elder Home Share story. His openness to home sharing and his willingness to take part in the programme at an early stage helped shape the practical understanding of how home sharing can work well for older adults.

Saoirse Sheridan, founder of Elder Home Share, lived with David as his home share companion for two years before he went into full time care at the age of 98. David was 96 years old and Elder Home Share was just beginning. This experience provided valuable, first-hand insight into the realities of home sharing from both perspectives — homeowner and companion.

David was not only an early participant in the programme, but someone whose approach to shared living helped inform the values and structure of Elder Home Share as it developed.

How David Bell Shaped the Elder Home Share Story

Saoirse and David shared a home at a time when home sharing for older adults was still relatively unfamiliar in Ireland. Living together involved day-to-day routines, mutual respect, and clear boundaries — all essential elements of a successful home share.

For Saoirse, this experience was formative. It showed what it truly means to be a home share companion: being present, reliable, and respectful, while supporting an older person to continue living independently in their own home. As soon as I met him I felt instantly at easy and comfortable it was lovely.

David was someone Saoirse often referred to as a steady and reliable presence during that period.

David Bell on his 100th birthday January 19th 2020— a much-loved home share host and an important part of the early Elder Home Share story.

Everyday Moments and Shared Routines

Saoirse last saw David on his 100th birthday which was a few weeks before Covid and lockdown. the two years they Home Shared before David went into a nursing home remain an important reference point in the early history of Elder Home Share.

Their time living together included everyday conversations, shared meals, and occasional celebrations — the kind of normal, routine interactions that help make a home share arrangement feel settled and comfortable.

One moment that is often remembered with humour involved a misunderstanding during a kitchen table conversation:

“I told him I was doing online dating and he thought I said ‘painting’. We went back and forth dating, painting, dating, painting - until I wrote it down, and then we both laughed.”

Moments like these reflect the light-hearted, practical nature of their shared living arrangement.

Mutual Respect and Independence

Throughout the two years they home shared, both Saoirse and David maintained their independence. Like any shared living situation, it required communication and compromise.

They had very few disagreements, and when they did, they were resolved quickly — an indication of the mutual respect that underpinned the arrangement.

From the outset, the home share felt straightforward and workable, and Saoirse moved in shortly after meeting David, once both were comfortable with the arrangement.

Staying in Touch

I continued to stay in touch with David when he went into full time care. I enjoyed visiting him in his nursing home and meeting other residents from time to time too. David passed away at the age of 101 with his family at this side continues to be remembered not as a figure of sentiment, but as someone who played a meaningful role in the organisation’s early development through his participation and trust in the home sharing model.

His contribution helped demonstrate that home sharing can offer older adults companionship and reassurance while fully respecting independence and personal boundaries.