After a break-up, I needed a new place to live but was having trouble finding an apartment I loved. My aunt suggested moving to her retirement village, and they accepted my application despite my age.

Jane Post, 81, lives in a small mobile home that she calls "The Teapot." She lives on her younger daughter's land and enjoys freedom and independence with family close by. Though her home is small, ...

I live alone in a tiny house, which is in a stranger's backyard. The tiny house has minimal amentities and a small kitchen, but it works for me. The landlord has become a close friend, and I'm so ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation between writer Jennifer Jane and her mom, Jane Post. It has been edited for length and clarity. After moving out of the home I loved and lived in for ...