Housign Alternatives for seniors who need little help

 Housing is part of the care continuum for seniors, although it is not seen as a part of the continuum. Housing is also one of the biggest expenses a senior has. But until we face a need to move, we seldom consider the most appropriate home settings for our needs.  

One national poll from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, sponsored by AARP, found that 88 percent of Americans ages 50 to 80 wanted to live in their own homes as long as possible. But only 15 percent had given a lot of consideration to the home modifications needed to do so; and just 19 percent expressed confidence they could afford to hire help, whether for chores or for personal care. 

There is limited housing for older people needing financial help, so it pays to plan. For those with savings, the broad range of housing options may include some built-in care. 

For those who need little help

1. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Or granny flats, or mother-in-law suits, maybe an addition to a family member’s house or a separate home on the property. Their popularity has increased in the past two decades, especially in the most unaffordable housing markets in the country, but many municipalities are slow to approve these types of dwellings or the modifications needed.

2. Age-restricted communities work in some areas, and in some jurisdictions, at least 80 percent of the homes in these communities must include one resident age 55 or older, but most set that percentage threshold even higher. These active adult communities often offer swimming pools, tennis and pickleball courts, and other amenities for residents along with child-free living.

3. Owners restrict senior apartments rental units to people 55 and older and may include age-friendly features, such as limited stairs and grab bars. Some housing is subsidized, enabling residents to qualify for reduced rent. Senior apartments may offer meals in their rental packages.

4. Designed to encourage socializing with neighbours, cohousing communities may be multigenerational and feature attached or semidetached single-family homes. Residents take part in joint activities such as cooking and recreation, cohousing is best suited for older adults who enjoy living close to their neighbours.  

Neighbours share the cost of maintaining communal areas, such as gardens, recreational spaces and parking, but not the individual dwellings. However, cohousing is for active seniors who don’t require continual self-care. 

5. Boomers are embracing the idea of house sharing. Gray divorce has left many older people single. Sharing a home with friends or strangers helps reduce costs while adding companionship. The arrangement can involve buying or renting a home together, or one person owning the home and the others paying rent.

Housemates can be of a similar age or entirely different generations. In fact, taking on a much younger housemate who can provide some caregiving and transportation help for a reduced rent is one way for an older person to continue living in their own home.