‘Aging in Place’ Doesn't Have to Mean Living Alone
Our founder Alison Donnally sat down with Walnut Creek estate planning attorney Kirsten Howe on the Absolute Trust Talk podcast. The topic: what happens when a parent wants to stay in their own home, and "independent" starts getting complicated.
The ‘Before’
Professionally, Alison spent years in healthcare innovation at Amazon Care and Kaiser Permanente. Personally, she watched family members age alone and hit health crises nobody saw coming, because the warning signs weren't medical yet. In her words: those weren't "healthcare things," until suddenly they were.
That's the gap JoeyCo fills. Not medical care. The stuff underneath it: groceries, a dog walk, the trash making it to the curb, someone around so the day doesn't feel so long. See the full list of what Joey can help with.
The concept already works
Alison's other influence: the au pair model. Affordable, live-in childcare millions of families already trust. Her question was simple. Why doesn't something like that exist for older adults?
That question became JoeyCo. Students get affordable housing. Homeowners get reliable help, and usually a real friendship too.
Two agreements, kept separate on purpose
This is the part attorneys and financial advisors want spelled out.
Every placement runs on two documents:
A housing license. Rent for a private room in an owner-occupied home, most often structured as a lodging arrangement, not a standard tenancy.
A W-2 employment agreement. Payroll wages for agreed-upon tasks, under California employment law.
Keeping these separate is what lets Hosts offer affordable rent while still paying fairly for real work. JoeyCo has templates for both agreements and sets up payroll, so Hosts don’t need contractor paperwork or cash payments. The JoeyCo team is also happy to connect with professional service providers like lawyers, accountants, and planners so the agreements and payments fit within, and typically enhance, the financial goals of the Host household. Full breakdown: how it works.
Every household gets a custom search
Alison described intake as sitting down with a Host and asking what actually makes their week harder, then building a Joey search and match around that answer. Some Hosts want practical help day to day. Others want to take pressure off an adult child managing things from a distance. See if a Joey can help with what you have in mind here.
Small things, said early
Every Host and Joey pair does a short weekly check-in, not just to log hours, but to talk through the small stuff. Turn off the bathroom fan at night. Skip the blender at 7am. Minor on its own. Real friction if it never gets said out loud. JoeyCo facilitates real communication so the small stuff stays small.
The bigger picture
Getting older doesn't have to mean a smaller life. Alison's goal: help someone's world expand again instead of quietly shrinking. Not compromising on independence, support, ot connection.
Curious if a Joey could work for your family? Start at withjoey.com/host.
Keep exploring:
Full conversation: Aging in Place: How JoeyCo Matches Older Adults with Student Housemates, Absolute Trust Talk with Kirsten Howe.
