ADU for Aging Parents

Despite the fact that we spend most of our lives with family members, there come moments when different circumstances separate us by kilometers. When parents and grandparents begin to age, fate provides a chance to reunite, and the best tool for this is the accessory dwelling unit. Each square foot of your ADU will carry many times more comfort for your aging parents than any boarding house or nursing home. Moreover, the presence of such a unit on the site brings various material dividends to homeowners.

In this review, we will tell you what reasons can motivate property owners to build accessory dwelling units for elderly parents and relatives, tell you about the key principles of design organization for this ADU project, and reveal the importance of interacting with professionals if you want to create a technological, reliable and stylish mother-in-law suite.

Aging Parents ADU: Key Benefits

Among people, the accessory dwelling unit for age-related people has two names: “granny flat” and “mother-in-law suite.” Having this information, you can easily determine the main benefit from the implementation of such a project. However, like all other ADUs, this configuration is much more versatile than you can imagine.

Here are the seven main strengths of ADU for older parents:

Effective care

When it comes to building an ADU for aged parents or relatives, first of all, it is crucial to understand that this solution will allow you to take effective care of their health. The health status of the elderly is extremely unstable and if you live in different cities, then you will have almost no chance to come to their aid in time, unlike the situation when you live with your whole family in the same living space.

Complete independence & privacy

The previous paragraph may cause some property owners to worry about conditions such as independence and privacy. Indeed, if you live with your parents in a primary home, you can forget about it. However, if you decide to build an ADU, then you instantly provide all family members, from children to pensioners, with comfortable conditions where everyone has personal boundaries and a sense of independence.

Affordable living costs

An alternative option for accommodating elderly parents may be to buy a place in a nursing home or boarding house. Nevertheless, despite all the convenience of these establishments, such a move is not profitable. ADU is a much more affordable option because you will spend significantly less money on construction than on accommodation in a nursing home. In addition, this extra space will allow you to receive passive income, as we will discuss below.

Safety

The issue of safe housing conditions for the elderly is even more acute than their health state. Every square foot in the main house can carry danger, from steep staircases to slippery laminate. But if your granny flat complies with the principles of safe design that the builders can observe during the construction process, then you can be one hundred percent sure that no element of the living space threatens their safety.

Assistance in kids raising

Every person’s golden years is a childhood that is replete with bright moments and emotions. On par with this, during this period, the influence of adults on the upbringing of a child is the most significant, and the best people for this mission are grandparents. If you create conditions for the transfer of your aged parents to ADU, then you instantly solve the issue of parenting because, for older people, there is nothing more valuable than spending time with children.

Property value boost

The housing market is the only field where prices are not falling but only rising. This fact adds sense to the construction of accessory dwelling units, as this solution not only increases the property value several times but also allows you to cover all construction costs and earn on resale value in the future. It is noteworthy that in the case of ADU for older people, you can get even more financial benefits by equipping the living area with a safe design.

Extra income generation

Statistics show that older people are more likely to travel compared to other social groups. In particular, they prefer long-term cruises for several months. During the period when your relatives go on such a trip, you can rent out your ADU and receive a fixed income without any effort. At this point, you will receive another vivid proof of the ADU’s popularity, since after placing an announcement about renting out the living area, requests from potential tenants will begin to arrive at lightning speed.

Overall, building an accessory dwelling unit for your parents is a profitable solution from all sides. You not only provide them with the opportunity of aging in place of complete coziness and comfort but also unite generations, solve some of the household tasks, and make the life of the whole family happier.

Aging Parents ADU Design Principles

As we noted above, the house for age-related parents is different in design from any other living spaces. In order for residents to maintain a high quality of life and not experience difficulties in everyday routine, already at the construction stage, the property owner, together with a team of builders, should think over a scheme for implementing the principles of safe design.

Among the many characteristics of the organization of space according to this technique, the following aspects play the greatest importance:

• Grab bars installation. With age, some functions of the musculoskeletal system begin to blunt, in particular, coordination functions. Accordingly, any movement around the house can be dangerous, which means that you need to install grab bars so that the tenant always has support. In particular, we recommend installing them in the bathroom to simplify hygiene procedures, in the bedroom, and around the perimeter of the main living room. Moreover, if we are not talking about a single-story design but about a two-story configuration, then do not forget to install handrails to climb stairs more easily.
• Expansion of doorways. If you have visited a hospital or an assisted living facility, you have definitely seen wide doorways, both in the corridors and in individual rooms. They are necessary to provide easy access to any area since older people do not always have enough space to maneuver, especially if they move with special means. You can implement the same thing in ADU to simplify the lives of your parents or relatives.
• Anti-slip coating. Continuing the topic of coordination, it is crucial to say that almost all types of flooring from laminate to linoleum are unsuitable for age-related people. The best materials are ceramic tiles, vinyl or hardwood flooring. They will not allow the man to slip, fall and get hurt. In addition to the obvious benefit for the elderly, the anti-slip coating will protect both small and adult children who often arrange active games in ADU from falls.
• Moving switches and lockers. When it comes to building an ADU, this moment often passes by both builders and property owners because, having excellent health, we do not put ourselves in the place of people who find it difficult to reach for the switch or the cabinet handle every time. To simplify this task for residents in the future, you can ask specialists to move all switches and knobs a little lower, thereby ensuring simple use of the housing space.

If you don’t have a goal to implement all these changes at once, then you can implement them step-by-step. For example, to begin with, put mats in places with the greatest risk of falling, and only then completely replace the floor covering. The most essential thing is to ensure the safety of older residents because this will create peace of mind for the whole family.

Aging Parents ADU Construction Issues

Thinking about building an ADU for parents, some homeowners believe that it is their responsibility to build a house with their own hands. However, this is a big misconception because ADU construction of any configuration is the field of professionals. Firstly, the architecture of the ADU for older people is very specific, and only trained architects can develop an open floor plan that takes into account all the needs and requirements of families.

Secondly, builders from a licensed company are ready for the heavy loads that are necessary during the ADU construction process. Thirdly, specialists can pick the most profitable financing option for your project, help in the best quality materials selection and ensure that the design meets your taste preferences.

Finally, housing laws vary depending on the place of residence. For example, within the same state of California, the rules regarding ADU construction are different in Los Angeles County and Big Bear Lake County. This means that for a successful project implementation, you cannot do without a qualified lawyer who knows all the local zoning laws, zoning restrictions, and nuances of construction permits.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

What is the main value of building an ADU in California?

ADU for age-related parents is an affordable housing unit with separate entrance, which will allow you to effectively care for relatives, while not violating their personal boundaries. In addition, this ADU configuration will instantly increase the property value, cover the final construction cost, and improve the life quality of the whole family.

What changes in the ADU design are necessary for older people to have comfortable living?

There are four main principles of safe design, namely in mother-in-laws you can install grab bars in all rooms from bathroom to bedroom, purchase anti-slip coating, move all switches to a lower level, and pay builders for the expansion of all doorways. Also, do not forget that all these changes will increase the attractiveness of ADU in the eyes of potential buyers in the event of its sale.

Why is an ADU better for older people than a nursing home?

Placing your elderly relatives/parents in ADU is a perfect solution for many families. Unlike primary homes, ADU has a safe design, which means that residents can feel comfortable, you also save significantly, because construction costs are lower than buying a place in a nursing home, and finally, when a family is together, this is the main happiness.

What are the non-obvious advantages of placing age-related parents in your accessory dwelling unit?

We can name two advantages, one social and the other financial. The social advantage is that living with your parents next to your children will create a connection between generations. The financial part is that you can rent your ADU and generate passive income.