Getting Your Home Ready For Parents To Move In With You
It’s a tough economy going into 2023. Many recent retirees have been shocked by the sudden devaluation of their retirement nest-egg. You may be facing new stresses in your own family as well. Job and income situations have become very fluid and not always for the better. It may be time for a consolidation of families to counteract a new and less rosy financial outlook. Another factor in parents moving in is the expense of professional assisted living. Unless it is long-planned, the monthly cost can overwhelm even the most generous retirement income. Because of these economic changes, the trend of parents moving home to live with their adult children is on the rise according to AARP.
Both families can benefit from sharing a home but few things as complex as combining living arrangements fall into place seamlessly by chance without planning and preparation. The best solution generally entails finding ways to create separate living spaces in the same home. Expansion is often the prerequisite even with larger homes. While many families are coming up with creative solutions to cope with the financial burden faced by recent retirees, for some, one solution is for retirees to move in with their children and grandchildren. Living together can not only help spread out costs, but it can also create more meaningful bonds between generations. Although this may be a difficult transition for some, it can give families the chance to create lifelong memories with the ones they love most.
Planning For Extra Space You Didn’t Know That You Need
Moving your parents into your home can be a joyous occasion, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. There are many things to consider to make sure your home is ready for them and you to live harmoniously together. First, you’ll need to make sure you have enough space and that the layout of the house is suitable for them and you. In most cases, it simply isn’t at all. Experienced creativity and forward planning will be necessary to make it happen.
If there is one thing that remains important when families move in together, it’s the personal traditions, ways of doing things and communicating, good old individual preferences, and especially autonomy. Neither family wants to have to be told to live by the norms and rules of the other instead of doing things the way they prefer and are accustomed to.
Some home remodeling is a starting point. If they will need a bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor, make sure you have that available. Maybe the two families have different ideas about diet and cooking preferences. Dining becomes a new consideration. Sharing a kitchen can prove to be difficult for people who have generational differences in ideas about diet, nutrition and cooking. Should all meals be taken together like an episode of The Waltons or should families have at least some of their meals as before as a single unit? Mealtimes are often when families interact and some sense of privacy may be important to both the parents and the adult children along with their own children without worrying about untimely input from their own parents.
You may need to do a lot more than simply rearrange furniture or add a bedroom or bathroom. You may need to create an entirely separate and autonomous comfortable living space for the new family taking up residence. To make their new home accessible, you may need to add ramps or railings for staircases, and make sure all areas of the house are free from potential hazards.
Are you ready for your parents or in-laws to live with you?
It’s an important question to consider. Living with family can be a great experience, but it can also be a challenge. Before making a decision, it’s important to think about your family’s needs, how much space you have, how much time you can devote to helping out, and what kind of relationship you have with them. If everyone is on the same page and willing to make an effort, then living with family can be a rewarding experience. Regardless of how well extended families get along, did most of them anticipate that they would need more private time and personal space than they first estimated? Probably not. Homes can feel crowded when you have gotten used to a certain amount of space per person and sometimes, homes are not as easily navigated for everyone as they may have been, starting out. Parts of homes can become inaccessible or difficult to use especially for seniors.
Most homes in the Temecula & Murrieta areas are two stories. How do your folks manage stairs? Can they negotiate a second floor indefinitely or will they ultimately need to live on the first floor only? Does that floor have the room they need to live comfortably along with your own family?
Two-story homes can present a challenge for those with limited mobility. Mobility issues become important for seniors who find themselves aging in place. Fortunately, there are several options you can explore to make the second floor accessible. You could install a stair lift, which works like an elevator and is a great way to get up and down the stairs quickly and safely. You could also look into a home lift, which is a permanent installation of an elevator that allows people to move between floors without using the stairs.
Ultimately, it depends on your folks’ specific present and future needs and preferences, as well as the layout of the home, so it’s best to speak with a specialist who can provide tailored advice. Expanding the first floor is sometimes the very best way to prepare for a combined family living situation.
A Full Expansion of Your Home With An ADU
You might need a lot more than just a spare room. You may need to design and build an ADU. There is a definite difference when building an ADU. Every ADU is a custom project.
Designing and building an ADU requires special skills and tools. It can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! With the right resources and planning, you can create a comfortable and usable space that will meet your needs.
There are several online resources for Californians that can help you plan and design your ADU, as well as plenty of books and magazines that can provide you with ideas and advice. Additionally, you will usually need local contractors or builders in your area that specialize in ADUs and can help you through the process. In any case, it’s important to take your time and research what options are available to you. We at Box Construction specialize in building these accessory dwelling units or ADUs. ADUs can be entirely separate buildings, converted garages or additions to your existing home structure. A free consultation will reveal what is right for you and your plan for having parents make their home with you.