Not ready for a caregiver, this Bay Area couple found another way to age at home

When Paige Miller was diagnosed with early stage dementia in 2019, the San Rafael resident knew she'd soon need to hand off some parts of her daily routine. She had to stop driving, for one.

Miller, 72, and her husband, Robert, 70, didn't yet need a caregiver or nurse, or to move to a senior living facility. Paige was still active and independent, and they made a conscious decision to prioritize her dignity and their social and emotional well-being as they navigated the future.

But Robert, who often travels for work, knew they needed some kind of help.

"We couldn't do it just the two of us," he said.

So when he met the founder of a local startup that matches older homeowners with college students - with the goal of students renting a room at a discount from the homeowner, in exchange for working a certain number of hours for them - he jumped at the chance.

Through the startup, San Rafael-based Joey Co., the Millers met Nanik Tagore, a student at nearby Dominican University. Tagore, 22, has been living with the Millers since 2024, helping Paige with various tasks like driving her to the nail salon, the grocery store and lunch with her friends, taking out the trash and getting the mail, and helping prepare meals. In exchange, he gets a roughly 50% to 65% discount on his rent.

For the Millers, the arrangement works because they have an extra room to rent out, and because Paige doesn't need the level of care that a traditional caregiver or home aide would provide. Though her dementia has progressed some since her diagnosis, she can still manage most activities on her own, like bathing and using the bathroom. But she is challenged with dates, numbers and schedules, so Tagore helps her organize her calendar. The fact that he lives in their home gives the Millers some peace of mind.

"When I'm traveling for work, Nanik is there," Robert said. "The trusted physical presence gives us a sense of security."

Many older adults like the Millers occupy a sort of in-between space in terms of their needs. They don't yet need or want full-time care or medical assistance, but benefit from having some help, especially with tasks that may be less accessible than they once were, like driving or walking the dog. It's not always clear where to seek such help.

The need is especially acute and growing in the Bay Area, which is demographically one of the oldest regions in the nation and is aging faster than any major metro area in the country.

For Tagore, the arrangement helps him afford housing in an expensive area while he finishes his degree. His work hours vary week to week, depending on his availability and the Millers' needs, and he likes the flexibility because he's busy with school and the basketball team.

Joey's founder, Alison Donnally, describes the role as "an au pair for older adults." The company refers to them as "joeys," borrowing the term for baby kangaroos.

Donnally created the company in 2023 after seeing some of her older relatives struggling with aging alone at home. One fell in the shower and wasn't found for 24 hours; another had Lewy body dementia and declined rapidly - largely out of view of his relatives because he lived in a remote area.

"It was this drumbeat of, ‘Age alone, bad outcomes, rapid decline,'" Donnally said. "I created Joey (to be) a live-in supportive, non-medical way of caring for each other, using rent to subsidize the extra set of hands. It makes it more affordable for older adults to get what they need to avoid the outcomes my family members had."

Homeowners or hosts often earn enough from rent to break even for the services Joey provides, she said.

Indeed, how to age at home safely and with dignity is an area of growing concern as the baby boomer generation ages - and a gap that companies like Joey aim to fill.

Many of the tasks fall into a classification that geriatricians call "instrumental activities of daily living," or skills that enable someone to live independently - like transportation, meal prep and cleaning the house. This classification is one level down from "activities of daily living," which are self-care tasks like bathing, dressing, feeding and using the bathroom.

Instrumental activities "are things where often an adult child would help with," said Dr. Louise Aronson, a UCSF geriatrician. "But because there are more and more people living alone, there are more people without someone nearby to fill that role. I imagine that is the niche they're going for. For some people, it might work out well."

A handful of other startups and organizations have cropped up to meet the demand, including Papa, a Miami-based company founded in 2017 that connects older adults nationwide with helpers for companionship, errands, meal prep and house tasks. It has raised $240 million in venture capital funding.

Joey, which is backed by individual investors, currently has more than 10 host clients, mostly in the North Bay. The firm recently added a client in Sonoma, and is working to match its first clients in the East Bay, San Francisco and Southern California, Donnally said.

The company makes money by charging prospective hosts a $500 search fee, which is refundable if Joey doesn't find them a match. Joey also charges the host a one-time match fee, equivalent to one month's rent, and then a $299 monthly service fee. The service fee includes at least two check-ins per month with the host and a check-in with the student to smooth out any conflicts or communication issues.

"We're a concierge for the relationship throughout the duration of it," Donnally said.

Experts say such arrangements can work well but require clear expectations and safeguards.

The bright line, Donnally said, is that joeys do not do bathing, touching, feeding or pills.

Joey does background checks on the student and reaches out to their college as part of the vetting process, which also includes at least two reference checks. Background checks include criminal records, a Social Security Number trace and motor vehicle report. The company also vets the hosts.

Having Tagore around helps "extend our swim lane," as Robert puts it.

"I don't want you to be my caregiver, I want you to be my husband," said Paige, to Robert.

None of them expected to also develop a bond that goes beyond their working relationship. They often have dinner together and bake banana bread for the neighbors, and the Millers attend Tagore's basketball games. The three of them are on a group chat called "Joey Fam" - the icon is a photo of persimmon bread they baked together.

Tagore recently extended his lease to continue living and working there through the end of the year. He is slated to graduate this spring, and the job gives him a bit of a cushion after graduation to support himself financially and not have to scramble to find housing.

"I'm glad I took the leap," Tagore said. "I'm helping two people live out their life to the fullest. It gives me a purpose."

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.