Financial considerations often form the basis of adult children and parents moving back in together. Even with the potential costs of remodeling to accommodate the two families, maintaining one household rather than two generally creates considerable savings for everyone. As Rhea summed it up in her comment yesterday, there are positive outcomes from sharing housing with family - saving money, for one. "Necessity will force a lot of living situations that we might not initially choose but will save us from financial ruin. It pays to learn how to live well with others!"

The support generated on both sides can serve as the foundation for resolving past misunderstandings between parents and adult children. Understanding and forgiveness are easier to accomplish when different viewpoints are considered. And rather than taking each other for granted, family members can express their gratitude for one another.

An additional benefit of the multi-generational experience is the closer relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. Generations living together lead to a win-win situation for everyone here. A grandmother says, "It's been surprisingly wonderful. I'm getting a level of contact with my kids and grandkids that has been more rewarding than I could ever have dreamed." From the perspective of a busy mother, the reactions are more practical. "My husband and I are lucky because my mom helps take care of our kids while we are at work."

The close bonding allows the extended family to build rich memories to savor over the years. As the older generation continues to age, these times may be the impetus for planning their care by the new sandwiched generation, with the grandchildren pitching in to help.

With Thanksgiving just one week away, tomorrow we return to the topic of last week: gratitude. We will look at some reactions - internal and external - to saying "thank you."

Actress Natalie Portman, who moved back in with her parents when she gave up her own home, reveals that things do not always go as expected. "It was cool in the beginning because I get good meals and my laundry done but it turns into trouble. It's rough."

As the reality of shared housing sets in, here are some more tips that Sandwiched Boomers will find helpful:

Think about the problems that can come up and make a Plan B. Just because you all are having some difficulty with the new living arrangements doesn't mean that you have to discard the entire idea. It is important for a sense of control to have scheduled family meetings to discuss the issues and conflicts that come up. The lack of privacy, intruding on other family members' boundaries, and unwanted advice are often sore points.

Be flexible and learn to love compromise and cooperation. Look at the situation from the perspective of the other family members as you work on understanding their positions. You all in this together and while you may not get exactly what you specifically want, you can work out a solution that is good for everyone.

Respect the needs of everyone involved. When each person feels heard, it takes away some of the frustration stemming from the lack of control. You can be supportive to one another just by listening even if you don't agree with the reason for the complaint.

Tomorrow we will look at savoring some of the real positives that come out of sharing a home with other family members.

Yesterday we looked at the new kind of boomerang living arrangements created as a result of the current financial meltdown. Sandwiched Boomers - as well as the generations before and after them - are moving into these situations in record numbers. Many positive results can come out of shared housing if you plan ahead. Today we have some tips to help take the sting out:

Have a family meeting to set guidelines before you move in together. All of you need to be frank and honest about your needs. Each of you will be giving up some autonomy and control so you can expect to have some situations where push comes to shove. Each of you can present your positions for the best and worst case scenarios. Then decide how you want to compromise so that everyone gets some of what they want. Put any absolute deal breakers out on the table so that they can be discussed in detail.

Work out a schedule for shared responsibilities, chores, and finances. If there is to be a division of labor, gain consensus about making the various tasks equitable. When children/grandchildren are part of the mix, arrive at a clear timetable with regard to babysitting so that no one feels exploited.

Set boundaries so that everyone's privacy is respected. Living together with roommates in a college dorm is one thing but sharing space with family members can get awkward. Identify signals to use when one of you wants to be alone. The last time you all lived together, the circumstances were likely quite different. Old issues around power or dependency can resurface in this close environment, particularly when there may be a difference of opinion about how to handle issues with children.

And see the comment yesterday from Dina who adds, "Mediation between merging families can be invaluable. A mediator can assist families in teasing out those hidden issues and negotiating norms that respect everyone's needs."

Tomorrow we will have some more suggestions for getting the most out of your family togetherness.

Families today are facing a new kind of housing crisis as the economy continues to spiral downward. When one spouse in a two-career marriage loses a job, making the monthly mortgage payment becomes difficult, especially for Sandwiched Boomers. Senior citizens who have been able to pay for housing from their retirement accounts find they must cut back on that expense when their retirement funds are down by 20%. When a mortgage that began with an artificially low interest figure calls for a rate increase or a balloon payment, the cost becomes prohibitive to the nuclear family.

These scenarios are not about GenX and GenY kidults boomeranging back home, with connotations of immaturity or irresponsibility. Rather they reflect adults struggling with the real effects of a global financial meltdown not faced in over 75 years. A recent AARP study revealed that more than ¼ of the foreclosures and delinquencies last year occurred among those 50 and over. These seniors and their adult children are looking carefully at what to do to ease the economic woes that have hit everyone hard.

In some cases, younger families are moving back in with one of their parents, pooling their funds for mortgage payments. This helps both the young couple having trouble making ends meet and the older parents coping with reduced retirement income. Others have turned to 'granny flats' - guest suites or small guesthouses. Seniors who give up their individual, larger homes move in to the compact units on their children's property.

Another response by some who are feeling the effects of the economic crisis is to rent out rooms in their house or condo. In Los Angeles, the listing of rooms for rent in private homes was up 72% in October from the same time last year. Reminiscent of the small boarding houses prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, this new surge may foster more socialization among strangers who are thrown together on a daily basis.

Irrespective of the type of arrangement and the reason you will be combining two families into one home, you will need to do some serious planning before you take the plunge. Tomorrow we will give you some tips to put into play before sharing your daily life with your extended family - or a stranger - in a whole new way.

Remember those jokes you made in your youth about the old folks at Leisure Village? Now that you don't need such a big house anymore and are beginning to plan for retirement, you may have thought about moving yourself. But where to go? Most Sandwiched Boomers choose to stay near family members but downsize in a way that fits in with their active lifestyle.

A new trend is emerging for Baby Boomers who want to rekindle some of that communal spirit of the 60's when they move. In 2007 alone, about 40% of new housing for those in midlife is in what is known as 'age-restricted communities' and it is estimated that one-third of existing single-family home sales for this age group are in developments for the 55 and older set. Many Boomers are moving to these vibrant communities while they are young enough to enjoy the many recreational activities and create new friendships. They join with other seniors in neighborhood activities, take part in sports together and participate in educational courses. This is not the passive retirement of the past but an exciting new option for the 67 million of us now over 55.

In the next 4 years, it is expected that this age group will make up 40% of all households in America. Will you be a part of it? What would be your ideal living arrangement for the next stage of your life? What do you need to have in your housing choice? What are you willing to give up? What compromises would you make with your partner? Let us hear from you about your considerations for a midlife move.