Is Your Home Designed for Multi-Generational Living?
In recent years multi-generational living has become increasingly popular. Due to this shift in living arrangements, there has been more demand for houses that are accessible or adaptable to the growing needs of different individuals. In this article we will highlight ways you can make your house suitable for all ages and adaptable for the aging population.
Width of Hallways and Doorways
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A common mistake that many new homeowners make is building their home to their current needs rather than thinking about their future specifications. While you may find it easy to get around your house while you're younger, you should consider the width of your corridors for when you'r older and if you have consider opening your home to host elderly.
Light Switch Positioning
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To provide total independence for all of the individuals living in your home, you'll want to consider the height of the light switches. Having them at a standard height may suite your current needs but can be an obstacle when you get older or if you are living with an elderly individual.
Bathroom Accessibility
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One of the rooms that often gets overlooked but seeks the most attention to avoid danger is the bathroom. Since slips and falls can happen easily with wet floor or unstable footing, it's important to consider a bathroom that has safety measures in place. Items such as grab bars, a seat in the shower area, and easily accessible shower or bathtub controls are ideal for creating a safer environment.
Garages as a Living Space
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While having a multi-generational home may be a financial asset, having privacy and independence is still a concern for families. That is why it's important to consider areas in your home that could provide an individual with privacy and their own separate entrance to living quarters. One of the easiest ways to give a tenant privacy is by making their living quarters detached from your home. Some architects suggest that the easiest space to transform is the garage.
Use Your Basement as a Flexible Space
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Depending on your agreement - whether it is a child moving back home after university or a sick parent moving in, you need a space that can be flexible to the needs of yourself and your guests. That's why one way to accommodate both is by making your basement a flexible space. So for example, you could have it as your office space or a toy room for your younger child but then later convert it to a bedroom for a grandparent if it's necessary.
Transform Under-Used Rooms or Spaces
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You may have originally envisioned having an open bar with a pool table in your house but soon realized that it's not getting used as much as you thought it would. Instead of leaving the space unused, consider ways that you can transform it into a useful area like an office space for your guest or even a single floor apartment unit.
Source: Mother Nature Network, Vanier & Irish Times. Cover photo © Unsplash
