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For Boomers & Their Aging Parents
Homes for a Lifetime
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Posted on Friday, May 04, 2012 3:37 PM
Along with the desire to age in place comes the question
of exactly where to age. Should you stay
in your existing home or move to another?
If you stay, should you renovate to improve comfort and safety and will
those renovations add value to your home?
If you move to a different location, should you purchase another home or
is it more practical to rent?
No matter which option you’re leaning towards, you’ll
need to factor in an evaluation of the current housing market along with emerging
trends.
The Colton Housing Group recently conducted a national study among 3,005 homeowners and
renters to better understand how Americans feel about today’s housing market
and their aspirations for owning or renting a home in the future. The survey
and six focus groups were commissioned by Hanley Wood, LLC, and its two main
publications, BUILDER and REMODELING magazines.
The 70-question
survey focused on attitudes towards the current housing market and problems
encountered in the home buying process. Do Americans still view housing as a
good investment? Is now a good or bad time to buy or remodel? How do consumers
feel about obtaining a mortgage in today’s environment? Is homeownership still
important? How do consumers compare
owning with renting? Do consumer expectations vary among different age groups
and socio-economic segments of the population?
The result of the survey paints an uncomfortable future for
the nation’s housing market in the short term — a market where credit is tight and
one where there is little urgency to buy now. It clearly identifies major
bottlenecks in the mortgage market that are keeping many buyers on the sidelines
and preventing any significant rebound in housing activity.
Over the long term, however, the survey tells a more
positive story. Specifically, the survey
findings show that the desire to own a home has not been derailed by the difficult economic times we're experiencing and that Americans generally understand the important
role housing plays in creating new jobs, generating household wealth, and
sustaining a long term economic recovery.
First, the question of rent or buy. While the dream of owning a home is certainly
alive and well, renting is on the rise because for many it’s become the only
option due to tough lending requirements.
When asked what sort of housing they would look for if moving to a new
location, 62% of the renters said they would have no
choice but to rent again. In sharp contrast, only 10% of home-owning
households said they would rent rather than buy another home. According to real estate website Trulia, buying was cheaper than renting in 74% of the
country's 50 largest cities. In addition
to a continuing decline in home prices, low interest rates have added a lot of weight to the buy side of
the scale. Add in the tax perks of home ownership and for those who can
afford it, it’s still a buyer's market.
So, what are the expectations for home prices during the
next year? More than one-fourth (28%) of
the homeowners expect to see some decline in prices in the year ahead, and
one-third (33%) expect some increase in prices in their market area. Expectations vary from region to region. In the Northeast, 24% of the owners expect
home prices to decline some in the year ahead, and 35% expect prices to
increase. In the West and Midwest, about 30% of the owners expect prices to
decline some, and another 30% expect home prices to rise. In the South, 27% of the owners are expecting
prices to decline a bit more, and 34% expect prices to rise in the year ahead.
In response to the question, “Have changes in home
prices influenced your home-buying decision?” 35% of owners and 38% of renters said
yes. And while 50% of homeowners under the
age of 35 reported that changes in home prices influenced their home buying
decision, that percentage fell with age:
37% for owners in the 35-44 age group, 28% for 45- to 64-year olds, and
17% for owner aged 65 or older.
What seems to be sorely lacking in today’s market is not
desire but a real sense of urgency to buy a home now. Two out of three
homeowners and 23% of renters are comfortable with their current living
arrangements. And both owners (40%) and renters (45%) cited “no urgency to buy
now” as one of the principal reasons for staying out of the market.
Another trend reflected in the survey findings is the increasing
number of people who are doubling-up with friends and family. More than one-third of the owner households and
about one fourth of the renter households are doubling-up – young adults with
parents, elderly parents with their adult children or grandchildren, unrelated
adults living together. In order to
project future housing demand, it is important to recognize the trend and
understand why it’s occurring, whether it’s to cut expenses and ride out the
recession, care for an aging parent, or for some other reason.
For those who question whether or not to renovate in
order to remain in their current home, remodeling is becoming a more attractive
option in today’s housing market. One
out of five homeowners (22%) has recently completed a remodeling job or plans to
remodel in the next two years instead of buying another home. Baby-boom
generation homeowners are the most optimistic about the remodeling market, not a surprise given that homeowners over age 50 had a strong preference for
staying in their current home throughout their retirement years. Among
all respondents 50 or older, more than half (54%) said that they would stay in
their current home for their entire retirement. Another 18% said they would stay in their
current home first then buy another home later, and 10% said they would move to a different home (brand new or
existing) before retiring or had already bought another home after retiring.
So all that said,
what’s the bottom line? Home ownership remains
an important part of the American experience and receives broad-based support
from all age, ethnic, and income groups. And even though more than half of
the homeowners surveyed experienced some decline in their home’s value over the
past year, they still regard homeownership as a good, long term investment.
 Susan Luxenberg President HomeSmart LLC
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Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2012 3:38 PM
In September, the Census reported that almost a third of households were “doubled up,” meaning
more than one generation of adults were living under one roof. All in all, 61.7 million
adults, or 27.7 percent, were doubled-up in 2007, rising to 69.2 million, or
30.0 percent, in 2011.
The AARP Public
Policy Institute also confirmed multi-generational homes are on the rise in the
United States, reporting there were roughly one-half million more households
that were multi-generational in 2010 than in 2009, and that in the past two
years, the number of multi generational households grew faster than in any other
two-year period since 2000, coinciding largely with the recession of the past
few years.
For a variety of
reasons, both cultural and economic, families today are rethinking their housing needs. Adults are living together with their
grandparents, in-laws, or grown children who are not economically ready to move
out. Particularly for those who want a comfortable way to look after
elderly parents, multi-generational living is an appropriate solution. Parents can comfortably live near their caregivers, while still
providing independence and privacy for everyone.
As a result, builders
are receiving more requests to build in-law suites or, as the term is starting
to emerge, to “turn one house into two.” An in-law
addition can be built just as any other home addition, can be purchased as a
modular unit that’s then attached to your home or set on your property, or can
be built in a garage (attached or detached). These suites typically are on a single level and usually comprised of a kitchen, bedroom,
bathroom, and a small living room area. In-law additions need to include extra
amenities so as to allow for aging in place, such as wider hallways and
doorways, no step entrances, extra room in front of bathroom and kitchen
cabinetry, grab bars, levered handled door knobs, comfort height toilets, and curb-less showers. You can find in-law home addition
plans in magazines and on the Internet that can often meet your requirements. If building new, expect to pay around $110 to $130 per square foot for construction. And while a remodel or addition can make the cost of an in-law prohibitive for some homeowners, it can be less expensive than the money required for long-term care for aging relatives in a facility - and a potential source of income down the road.
Before getting too involved in the
idea however, check with your municipality to find out how your local zoning
and building codes affect this type of addition. There may be zoning issues to having two
separate residences on the same building lot, or special features that the
addition must include, like separate utility services, as mandated by code.
 Susan LuxenbergPresident HomeSmart LLC
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Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2012 5:53 PM
When selecting material for a bathroom floor, it’s really important that the floor stands up to water and offers a safe,
non-slippery surface for wet feet. Falls can happen anytime and anyplace to people of any age, but
most falls by people aged 65 and older occur in the home during everyday
activities. Slippery bathroom floors are
one of the culprits when it comes to falling at home.
So what are good
flooring options for the bathroom?
Ceramic
tiles
are a practical choice given that they are relatively inexpensive, durable and
water resistant. Look for those that are textured and not glossy which will prevent the tile from
becoming slippery. Ceramic tiles come in many different shapes
and colors which makes it easy to be creative with patterns or borders.
 All a
ceramic tile floor requires for cleaning is sweeping and light mopping. A light water and vinegar solution is a safe
and cost efficient cleaner that will not damage the tile. Avoid steel wool or other rough materials
that can scratch the surface of the tile. Ceramic tile can chip or crack if something
heavy is dropped on it so make sure to keep some extra tiles for repairs if needed.
Traditional ceramic shower tiles are starting to be replaced
with the rich earthy tones of natural stone tiles, a good fit for most bathroom
renovations. Natural stone has some benefit over ceramic tile, especially for
more modern designs. Natural stone is
durable, resistant to wear and stains, and comes in a wide variety of colors
and finishes. There are many types of
stone available each with its own characteristics.
 Slate is a very
durable stone and highly recommended for bathroom applications. It is easy to
clean and with a little maintenance is almost completely impervious to stains.
Slate also has a rough texture, making even
honed slate non slippery – a very important consideration for the bath.
 Quartzite is one of the hardest and most resilient stones
available, whose colors range from repeating sequential patterns to
multicolored unique formations, depending on the type of quartzite which is
used. This stone is good in a bathroom because of its durability, its
resistance to stains and water, and the fact that its texture makes it
non-slippery
 Limestone and Travertine are softer and more permeable then slate or
granite. The patterns that emerge in these stones, while unique, are more
repetitive than in multi-colors and so the range of any given color of stone is
more subdued. This material is appropriate for bathroom use but it is not as good
at resisting stains, nor as durable as either slate of quartzite.
 Marble is
a classic stone that, in the past, has been used frequently to add elegance to
a bathroom. And while it’s known for its
color and high shine surface, it’s exactly that high polish that becomes very
slippery when wet. Marble is also a delicate
stone, prone to chipping and staining making it an impractical choice for the
modern bathroom.
Natural stone can be cut and finished in any number of ways,
giving you more flexibility in your designs and with the wide variety of stone available, you should take time to
consider all of the options. While natural stone tile may be more expensive
than ceramic tile, the beauty and durability are often worth the money. Glass
tiles are another choice for your bath and shower floors. They are water resistant and long lasting
with reflective properties that make the most of the light in any given
space. These are the tiles to use if you’re looking
to create an intricate mosaic pattern for your bath floor.
Unless treated, a normal glass tile
is no different from polished porcelain tile in terms of skid resistance. Like
any high gloss ceramic tile, glass tiles are usually slippery when wet. If
small format (1 × 1" or smaller) tiles are used on floors, the relatively
frequent grout lines create texture that inhibit slippage. For this reason, tile setters sometimes
introduce un-textured glass tile mosaic inserts into fields of large ceramic
tiles.
If you are using large glass field
tiles on floors, you will need to choose a tile that is specifically
floor-rated. Glass tile manufacturers all produce large format glass floor
tiles. They are made with a textured surface that provides a high coefficient
of friction, mitigating or eliminates slipping, while still delivering the
luminous qualities of glass wall tiles.
Vinyl tiles are an inexpensive,
quick solution for those looking for easy do-it-yourself bathroom
projects. Vinyl tile is moisture
resistant and available in a variety of patterns and colors. Vinyl
can be purchased as individual tiles or as a sheet cut to the dimensions of
your bathroom floor.
 Vinyl
tiles are usually 12” or 18” square and are available in all sorts of prints
and styles. There is vinyl that
simulates hardwood flooring as well as that which resembles ceramic tiles. When
installed properly, the effect of these tiles is identical to the original
materials. Vinyl tiles
are usually coated with a form of urethane which gives them a shiny finish and
protects the tiles from wear and tear. Look
for vinyl tiles with textures so that the floor does not get too slick when
wet.
Vinyl flooring can be wet mopped without fear of damaging the surface. Because the surface is impermeable, liquid will not seep into the floor, so mold and mildew is also not a problem. Consequently, vinyl flooring is a perfect choice for areas that are prone to spills and moisture such as bathrooms.
 Susan Luxenberg President HomeSmart LLC
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Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2012 12:53 PM
If you live an hour or more away from a person who
needs care, you can think of yourself as a long-distance caregiver. This kind
of care can take many forms -- from helping with finances or money management to
arranging for in-home care; from providing respite care for a primary caregiver
to creating a plan in case of emergencies. Many long-distance caregivers act as
information coordinators, helping aging parents understand the confusing maze
of new needs, including home health aides, insurance benefits and claims, housing
requirements, medications, and durable medical equipment.
The National Institute on Aging estimates that approximately 7 million Americans are long-distance caregivers.
And while economic factors are forcing people to move
away from their families and hometowns, lifespans are lengthening leaving many
of the elderly without family caregivers nearby. Shifting demographics exacerbate the problem. Over the next four decades, the number of
people 65 and older is expected to grow, while the number of people aged 20 to
64, those most responsible for care giving duties, will hold steady.
I recently read an article by Matt Sedensky entitled Elderly Parents: Caring for Aging Parents Long Distance in which he interviews Lynn Feinberg, a
care giving expert at AARP. Though care
giving is a major stress on anyone, distance can often magnify it, Feinberg
said, and presents particular difficulty when it must be balanced with an
inflexible job. “It’s a huge stress,”
she said. “It can have enormous
implications not only for someone’s quality of life, but also for someone’s
job.”
Without
question long distance care giving is a difficult task. It can certainly be a burden financially. As last
surveyed, annual expenses incurred by long-distance caregivers averaged about $9,000,
far more than caregivers who lived close to their loved one. Some caregivers had to cut back on work
hours, take on debt of their own, and slash their personal spending in order to
help another. Emotionally,
people are left feeling as if they are split in two trying to maintain their family
and work routines as they dash across country to deal with real and imagined
emergencies. To say the least, it’s exhausting.
So what do
people do when faced with the situation? Most
long-distance caregivers create a patchwork of resources they rely on to manage
the situation. They make sure to keep in
touch on a daily basis via phones and video calls. Relatives or close friends living nearby are
enlisted to check on the elderly family member to make sure all is ok. Local service providers and agencies are
brought into the picture when any of the benefits they offer match the
individual’s needs. And for those who can afford it, professionals are hired to
handle many necessary tasks like grocery shopping, driving, cooking and bill
paying.
There is no
simple solution when trying to care for someone at a distance, but being proactive
and investigating local resources to plan for those inevitable emergencies will
certainly help reduce stress. Successful
long distance caregivers set in place a network and establish routines that
minimize the need for those rushed trips across country.
 Susan Luxenberg President
HomeSmart LLC |
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Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2011 1:11 PM
It’s holiday time which means that you may be
either visiting or being visited by your parents. This
is a perfect time to assess your parents’ safety and comfort whether in your
home or theirs.
I recently gave a presentation at a senior complex and spoke about safety concerns that could be found in
almost every home. That triggered a
lively conversation about the problems these seniors encountered when visiting
their kids: no grab bars in the
bathroom, slippery shower and tub floors, no place to sit down when showering,
steps that
were not clearly delineate, stairs without handrails, or poorly lit hallways or
staircases. Most of those I spoke with said
that they were reluctant to ask their adult kids to make any permanent changes to
their own homes or install any special equipment, etc. I’ve
no doubt that if their kids thought about it, they would be happy to provide
their aging parents with safer, more comfortable surroundings. And truthfully these modifications would benefit everyone in the home.
So here’s a simple list. None of these items are costly and all can be
done quickly:
1.
Reduce tripping hazards by removing books, shoes, laundry, and toys from stairs;
ensure there are clear pathways through all rooms 2. Install
handrails on stairs and steps; bright
colored tape can be applied at the edge of steps and stairs to delineate floor
level changes. 3.
Increase the lighting at the top and bottom of the stairs; put bright lights
over all porches and walkways 4. Store frequently used items in easy-to-reach places so that using a
step stool or chair is not necessary. 5.
Small throw rugs are a hazard. Either remove them completely or tape them to
the floor with double stick tape. 6.
Have night lights in the bedroom, hallways and bathrooms. 7.
Apply non-slip strips or non-slip coatings in bathtubs and showers 8.
Install grab bars in showers and tubs 9.
Purchase an inexpensive
shower bench or chair which can be taken in and out of the tub or shower as
required.
After all, an
injury from a fall is one the biggest dangers the over-65 population faces and
one that often results in a loss of independence. Implementing the safety measures mentioned above can
substantially reduce the chance of injury to your parents and allow for a safer holiday season for all.
Happy Holidays!
 Susan LuxenbergPresident HomeSmart LLC
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Posted on Monday, November 07, 2011 10:15 AM
While the goal for
many of us is to age gracefully in our own homes, there is far more to staying
in your home than physically adapting the home itself. We know the importance of socialization to remaining emotionally healthy as we age. We know that continuing to
challenge ourselves mentally helps to forestall senility and other forms of
mental illness. And we all want to remain independent, vibrant,
relevant individuals for as long as we can.
I recently read an article entitled, Elders
a (Labor) Force for Social Change, written by Marc Freedman in which
he explores meaningful ways to turn retirees into what he calls “a new workforce
for social change.“ I think it’s quite
appropriate to the topic of successfully aging in place.
Elders a (Labor) Force
for Social Change By Marc Freedman
We’re a nation that will soon have more older
people than young ones, and much of the popular media portrays this as a
disaster story that goes something like this: Tens of millions of people, the
single biggest group in society and a mighty political force, are about to
dominate the scene. Overnight at age 60, they will become the elderly, pass out
of the “working-age population,” become incompetent and incontinent, bankrupt
the health care system, and vote for hefty increases in public spending on
their retirement at the expense of everyone else.
We’ve stretched the average life span from 47
years in 1900 to nearly 80 today. But our imagination about the shape of those
longer lives has lagged behind. Until not long ago, the 50s and 60s meant
retirement, grandparenthood, senior discounts, and early-bird specials. Today
there is a growing group of what I call “neither-nors.” Neither young nor old,
neither ready to be retired nor able to afford it.
With big thinking, there is a chance to tap the
talents and experience of the “baby boom” generation to solve longstanding
social problems, from health care to homelessness, education to the
environment. There is a chance to turn an older population into a new workforce
for social change.
Some people, like Gary Maxworthy, are leading the
way. As an idealistic young man, Maxworthy wanted to heed JFK’s call to
service, but he already had a family to support. Instead of joining the Peace
Corps, he launched a career in the food-distribution business, where he worked
for more than 30 years.
As Maxworthy approached 60, his wife’s passing
sent him into a period of soul-searching. He thought a lot about his old Peace
Corps dream and the prospect of returning to it. In the end, he chose a more
manageable domestic option, VISTA, part of the AmeriCorps national service
program.
VISTA placed Maxworthy at the San Francisco Food
Bank, where he discovered that—like food banks throughout the state of
California—it was primarily giving out canned and processed food. It was all
they could reliably deliver without food spoiling.
Maxworthy knew that California farmers were
discarding tons of blemished but wholesome fruits and vegetables that were not
up to supermarket standards. He launched Farm to Family, a program that in 2010
distributed more than 100 million pounds of fresh food to needy families in
California.
Without question Maxworthy would have done a lot
of good as a 22-year-old Peace Corps volunteer. But would he have been able to
do something comparable to developing a system to distribute 100 million pounds
of food to hungry people every year?
Never before have so many people, like Maxworthy,
had so much life experience and the time and the capacity to do something
significant with it. That’s the gift of longevity, the great potential payoff
from all the progress we’ve made in extending lives.
But we won’t collect this experience dividend if
we don’t move to recognize a new stage of life and create the kind of support
people need to transition from the end of midlife to the beginning of their
encore years. We need innovation.
How about inventing a gap year for grown-ups, a
time when they could take a break, volunteer at home or abroad, or try a new
career direction? A gap year—perhaps financed by a new tax-exempt savings
vehicle we could call the Individual Purpose Account— could be a source of
renewal for those embarking on a new career chapter.
What about midlife fellowships for those seeking
roles that combine purpose with a paycheck? And why stop there: Let’s rethink
our entire education system. Why cram so much learning into our teens and early
20s when we may want to move in a whole new direction in our 50s, 60s, and 70s?
By capitalizing on the unique assets of this vast
population, we can make something extraordinary out of what so many think of as
the leftover years. The right public policies could even provide new chances
for social mobility. Today’s
boomers are the first wave passing into this new period, which will soon be
occupied by their longer-living children and grandchildren. In crafting our
society to respond, we’ll open up options for younger people, who could then make
life decisions with the expectation of more than one bite of the apple.
We all have a stake in this project. It’s our
chance to turn the purported paradox of longevity—good for individuals,
terrible for society —into a vast payoff for all generations, today and
tomorrow.
 Susan LuxenbergPresident HomeSmart LLC |
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Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 11:27 AM
Recent data gathered by the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB) indicates that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of
aging-in-place options for their housing needs.
Whether remodeling or building new, consumers are planning ahead and
opting to remodel or design their homes so as to make them more comfortable as
they age and allow for continued independence.
There does seem to be, however, a bit of confusion over some of the
terminology used in regards to designing changes for aging in place. In recent articles I’ve seen the terms aging
in place modifications and universal design used
interchangeably. There are important
differences between the two.
Aging in place modifications refer to altering an existing
home so as to make it more comfortable, safe and accessible as we age. It’s
most often done reactively to
accommodate some physical disability that has arisen. Stairs,
narrow doorways, low toilets, inadequate lighting, and deep sided bathtubs all
become safety hazards when you are physically challenged. Not surprisingly then, the types of
modification most frequently requested include:
Add grab bars 78% Install higher toilets 71% Change a tub or existing shower to a curb-less shower 60% Widen doorways 57% Build ramps or removing thresholds 45% Enhance lighting or adding task lighting 45%
Universal Design, on the other hand, is not about adding
grab bars and ramps so that we can continue to care for ourselves and remain at
home once we’re disabled. It’s much more
proactive and forward thinking that
that. Many existing homes include features that at
best are inconvenient: thermostats placed
at a height that can only be reached when standing, outlets set low on the walls
making it necessary to bend to reach them, narrow bedroom and bath doors,
microwaves that are unreachable when seated, entrances requiring steps for
access, cupboard shelves that can’t be reached without step stools, toilets
that become too low for aching joints.
These are features that that we never think about until we develop some
physical disability – either temporary or permanent – at which point we are faced
with a dilemma. And because we are often forced to adapt our
homes quickly as a result of an injury, we wind up relying on equipment as a
quick fix rather than spending the time planning quality renovations that will
maintain the beauty of our home environment and last a lifetime.
Universal design refers to how you address your entire home while
you’re still healthy, using products that are designed to be intuitive and functional
as well as beautiful and adaptable to change, if and when the need arises. When space is designed using the principles of
universal design, no one could ever guess your home was designed for aging
because it’s not. Universal design does
not mean design for seniors. It means
design for everyone – young and old, physically challenged or not. Space does not need to be adapted for anyone
because it’s suited to everyone. So for
example, rather than having to install a ramp for someone needing to manage the
steps to a front entrance, what if entrances were built without any steps at
all? What if walkways were sloped from
the driveway to the front door so ramps were unnecessary? Or, what if we did not install bathtubs as a
standard feature in every bathroom? What
if the new standard was a well-equipped walk-in shower with built in seats? What
about including touch free faucets, cabinets and lights with touch controls,
refrigerators with shallow shelves, temperature read out controls for faucets
so as to prevent scalding, varying height counters, wireless thermostat
controls, microwaves that fit into drawers, and slip resistant flooring? The
beauty is that, while these features and products all fit into the principles
of universal design and are of benefit to everyone, they also anticipate a time
when climbing over a tub wall, reaching a shelf, or walking up stairs becomes
too difficult.
The difference between aging-in-place modifications and
universal design is significant and can impact your home environment
drastically. Smart Boomers will grab on
to the principles of universal design to create beautiful homes for their
lifetimes.
 Susan LuxenbergPresident HomeSmart LLC |
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Posted on Monday, August 22, 2011 10:26 AM
Our social and financial pundits have been telling us that
it is become increasingly more frequent to find households comprised of parents
and their adult children. Whether it’s young adults moving back home to
live with their parents post college , elderly parents moving in with their
adult children, or adults moving in with their elderly parents, we’re seeing more and more instances where
families are combining households. The
reasons for this housing shift are many and range from financial necessity to
care giving practicality. Whatever the
reason, home environments often require modification to accommodate the
disparate needs of varying aged family members.
One growing trend is to add a private in-law suite for aging
parents. Plans
with full in-law apartments might have a separate entrance from the main
entrance and be entirely self-sufficient having a small, but complete
kitchen and utility/laundry room. Other plans might just include a privately
located first floor bedroom and bath designed to accommodate parents, family or
help, or even a free standing accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Depending
on your lot size, zoning and building codes, and your budget, the space can be
designed to whatever configuration and size works best for you.
Alternately, a more cost effective
solution to creating a safe and comfortable in law suite might be to remodel
your garage. The garage conversion is one of the most
economical types of home improvement in a cost per square foot basis. It creates a living space that keeps your
loved one close to you, while creating two separate living spaces
for privacy and the highest level of independence possible.
If the entry from the garage to your home
includes steps it’s a good idea to raise the garage floor level to meet the
house floor level. Aesthetically, raising the floor to
match that of the house incorporates the finished garage space into
the rest of the house. Practically, it
removes any steps that a senior might have to negotiate when joining the family
in the main house. It is also a benefit
to construction. The resulting crawl
space can be utilized for plumbing such as drain lines from the toilet, shower,
sinks, along with electric runs, etc.
If your access to the house is on the same
level as the garage floor, you might have to break the garage concrete floor to
install the plumbing for the new in-law suite. The good thing about this elevation
is that you will wind up with a fully accessible entrance without the need for
any ramps – present or future.
The standard dimensions for a single car garage
are 12’ x 24’ or 288 sq ft. The standard
dimensions for a two car garage are 24’ x 24”, 576 sq ft. Obviously the more square footage you have to
work with, the more you’ll be able to include in your floor plan.
So what can
you include in 288-576 sq ft? The minimum
size for a bedroom that could accommodate a twin size bed is 10’ x 10’. A standard sized bathroom is 5’ x 8’ and while
not spacious, is still usable as people get older. A single car garage can certainly accommodate
a bedroom and bathroom. A double car
garage could even accommodate a small kitchen. Here are sample floor plans for both a single and
double car garage.
You may be considering constructing an in law suite because of an immediate need, but it’s smart to keep future accessibility needs
in mind as well. Here are some minimum dimensions and clearances to use when planning for accessibility. Of course you’ll
need to check everything with local building codes.
General Interior Doors: 2 ft. 8 in. clear opening
Hallways: 3 ft.
wide
Kitchen
Wheelchair turning space = 5 ft.
diameter
Sink: counter
on both sides = 2 ft.; knee-space below
Oven/cooktop/stove: counter
on both sides = 2 ft.; pull-out shelf below oven
Refrigerator: counter on
open side = 1 ft. 6 in.
Bathroom
Wheelchair turning space: 5 ft.
diameter
Sink: 2 ft. 6
in. clear width; knee-space below
Toilet: 1 ft. 6
in. to grab bar wall; 3 ft. 6 in. clear width
 Susan LuxenbergPresident HomeSmart LLC
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Posted on Sunday, July 10, 2011 11:29 AM
Several months ago I wrote a couple of posts about new trends in housing. I focused on Accessory Dwelling Units, The Med Cottage, and the Tiny House, all twists on small, often mobile, freestanding dwelling units. I continue to be intrigued with this trend. There’s something very appealing about minimal, jewel box homes and certainly something to be said for simplifying once the kids
are grown and retirement is on the horizon. Acceptance
of little dwelling units might still be in its infancy, but it's easy to see the
application of a small house model to the aging Boomer market.
When I wrote the earlier blog posts, I received a number of comments and questions about both the interior floor plans and exterior designs of tiny homes. I recently came across a short PBS video entitled Living Large: A look inside the tiny house movement. It's a wonderful glimpse into the tiny house, the
people who live in them, and the varied architectural styles and layouts that
are being built today. I think it’s a piece worth watching.
 Susan Luxenberg President HomeSmart LLC
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Posted on Sunday, July 03, 2011 3:24 PM
Good kitchen
design makes working in the kitchen easier and more pleasant for everyone. For those who want to age in place however,
good kitchen design is an integral part of maintaining independence. So what features should you consider when planning a
kitchen that will optimize your ability to use the space comfortably
as you age.
CABINETS
1. Allow 4’ of floor space between base cabinets and a kitchen island for ease of maneuverability 2. Place your upper cabinets 48” above
the floor and lower cabinets 6” above the floor. This will limit the stretching and bending
needed to reach dishes and pots and pans. 3. Install cabinets with adjustable
upper shelves. Also available are
motorized cabinets that move up and down with the push of a button, or
motorized shelves that can be installed into your existing cabinets. 4. Lower cabinets should have slide out shelves
and full extension drawers that pull out further than normal drawers. 5. Install easy to
grip knobs or pulls 6. Provide for adjustable cabinetry and removable base cabinets
COUNTER TOPS
1. Select colored or patterned borders
at counter edges to provide visual orientation to workspaces; choose counter edges that are
rounded rather than squared 2. Vary the height of your counter
tops. Consider a counter that is 28”-32”
high (table height) for someone who wants to sit while cooking, preparing food
or washing dishes. 3. Allow for open, under counter seated work areas, minimally 30” wide 4. Select counter top materials that are
smooth enough so you can slide heavy pots and are heat resistant. Install a pull out shelf under the counter
adjacent to the stove or microwave so there is a place to put down hot dishes
or pans. 5. Design sufficient counter space for placing dishes adjacent to or opposite all appliances.
APPLIANCES
1. Purchase a side-by-side or drawer refrigerator. These refrigerators are easier to access for
those who use a wheelchair since the chair can be pulled up closer to the shelves. Refrigerators with adjustable shelves also
easily accommodate a number of physical disabilities. Lower shelves are easier for those with
difficulty lifting their arms and higher shelves work well for those who have
trouble bending. 2. Choose a cook top with either front
or side controls and with burners that aren’t set in a straight line. This will allow you to adjust a control or
turn on another burner without having to reach across a hot stovetop. Check to make sure the controls are easy to read. 3. Mount a wall oven so you don’t have to
bend. If you select a model with a door
that swings to the side rather than pulls down you will avoid having to lean
across a hot door when taking items from the oven. 4. Microwave ovens should be placed either at counter height, in the wall, or in drawers. 5. Look for the newest trends in pull out
dishwashers. These appliances are fit into drawers that
pull out just like all the other drawers in base cabinets. If you prefer a standard dishwasher, install
it 8” off the floor to minimize bending.
 Susan Luxenberg President HomeSmart LLC
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