How To Bring Aging Parents Into Your Home – Granny Flats
Keep your aging parent close without giving up your privacy with a granny flat.
Many of us in the Baby Boom Generation are at a great point in our lives. We’ve worked hard, climbed the corporate ladder or have become highly skilled at our trade. We are at the peak of our professional careers, enjoying lots of opportunity and looking ahead to a wonderful retirement. However, many of us also worry about aging parents.
You may, for example, worry about your 80-year-old mother living alone after your father passed away, or it might be time to have a talk with your father about giving up the keys to the car due to his worsening eyesight. You may even consider bringing an aging parent into your home so that they don’t have to live alone. This is a very big decision that will have a large impact on your life and on the life of your parent. You want to ensure that you can provide a safe and comfortable environment for your parent that also allows for privacy and autonomy.
If you have the resources, a granny flat (also known as a secondary suite) could be a great option in this type of situation. A granny flat is, essentially, a small separate dwelling on your property. Granny flats come in all shapes and sizes. Some granny flats are attached to the side of a primary residence but have a locking door between the primary home. Others are built on top of a detached garage or built on a different part of the property (sometimes known as garden flats).
Granny flats vary in size and layout. Simple granny flats may resemble a studio apartment, while a more extensive granny flat can have a living room, separate bedroom, small kitchenette and bathroom. When you start planning your granny flat, the design will depend on the size of your property, layout of your existing home, your budget, and the specific needs of your family.
A granny flat renovation is a big project, but it can be a good idea for a variety of reasons:
- Gives you the ability to care for your parent
- Eliminates the need for your parent to live alone in a big house or to drive unnecessarily
- Provides your parent with privacy and autonomy
- Provides you with privacy too!
- Increases the value of your property
- Can be used to house children who move back in or host other guests and family members
To learn more about a granny flat for your San Diego property, please contact Best-Rate Remodel. We would be happy to come out and provide you with a free consultation and price quote.