Two Dublin women are calling on a change to be made to housing planning so developers have to provide smaller dwellings designed for the elderly when building new estates.
Maureen Smith and Maureen Dunne both live alone in Baldoyle and have unsuccessfully been trying to downsize for years.
The pair are in their 60's and 70's and both say they are living in homes too big for them.
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They would like to move into smaller units suitable for an elderly person, but have found this impossible to find.
The friends believe this is a no-brainer as their larger homes would then be able to sold to a younger family who needs the space.
Maureen Dunne lives in an older estate and said many of the houses are now occupied by single elderly people or couples living in homes too big for them.
She told Dublin Live: "I live in a three bedroom house and I just feel it's too much at this stage of my life.
"It's a lot of work maintaining it. There's a lot of reasons why I want to downsize.
"I'd free up money, I'd free up a house for a younger family."
Maureen Smith said she has been highlighting this issue "for years" and wants builders to zone part of estates for smaller dwellings so elderly people can live in more manageable homes and still be part of the community.
"We need to look at this, it's a huge problem," she said.
"It would then free the houses for younger people to buy them. I've been trying for years to downsize and live in my own area and not move out.
"But unfortunately, builders that are coming to areas don't look around and see how many people are living on their own in housing that they can't afford and keep.
"They just go ahead and build skyscrapers and don't think of houses that those growing older would want to live in."
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Maureen Dunne said that living in Baldoyle is "magical" and she would love to stay in the area.
Her house was originally in a council estate but she was given the opportunity to purchase it after a few years.
She said: "I'm here 43 years so I'm very integrated into the community. I can't go outside without talking to people.
"It would be lovely to stay in the area but the fact is I could not afford it.
"I have looked lots of times. There was cottages that came up outside this estate and I couldn't afford to buy it even if I sold this house."
"People don't want to go into nursing homes. Loneliness is one of the worst things.
"I know lots of people living in these houses are couples but when you're on your own it can become very lonely.
"It's a killer and you could end up in a nursing home which is the last thing I ever want to do."
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