In the past 24 hours I have listened to an interview of Dr. Bill Thomas, “The Magic of Minka”, and attended a class at SDSU’s Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), “Rethink Home: Benefits to ‘Rightsizing’ Your Home and Lifestyle.” Both turned out to be related to housing as we age, so, going with the synchronicity of the moment, I share some of the highlights.
How many of you are willing to let go of the house where you raised your children? Now that my husband and I have converted our sons’ bedrooms to our home offices and added a guest space, we’re reluctant to give up our home. And yet Dr. Thomas, the geriatrician and author the Wall Street Journal called one of the top ten Americans shaping aging, said to be wary of the family home, which often becomes less and less suitable for people as they age. Poorly designed bathrooms, for example, become very hazardous with their slippery and hard surfaces. Social isolation can also be a problem if people stay trapped in their homes. He has observed that most people move out of the family home about ten years too late. It’s better to move sooner when people are stronger and have more choices.
Downsizing can take many forms, of course, but the newest housing model Dr. Thomas is promoting is the Minka, which is Japanese for “a house for regular people.” He describes it as a “compact, digitally native, modular, panelized house that is both affordable and easy to live in.” (Look to the left or see Myminka.com for photos of the prototype) The interchangeable house parts can give people the home they want and need and also can be shipped and assembled anywhere.
The University of Southern Indiana and AARP are planning integrated student/elder housing on campus using clusters of Minkas called MAGIC- Multi-Accessible Generational Inclusive Communities. Stay tuned for more on this in years to come when these communities may be more common. As Dr. Thomas so frequently says, “Aging is a constant search for the new normal”, and maybe this will be it for some.
For those wanting or needing to stay in the family home and with room to spare,
house sharing is becoming more easy with websites set up to facilitate the matching, background checks, lease agreements, automated rent collection and other details. One Dr. Thomas mentioned was Silvernest, which has a presence in San Diego. Homestay organizations also often look for rooms for international students. Some people see this as a great opportunity to learn about another culture and make worldwide connections.
The presenters at the “Rethink Home…” class talked about senior living options, such as CCRCs (Continuing Care Retirement Communities), skilled nursing, independent board and care, and 55+ communities. Moving to any of these requires lots of research and planning, and I was surprised to learn that many CCRCs encourage you to stay with them for a few days to see if you like it.
Finally, people who choose to “age in place” can and should make several important changes to their homes for safety and comfort as they get older. Interior designers and contractors who specialize in these changes are out there ready to help. Patti Gerke and Ron Greenwald (www.greenwaldgerke.com) , the “Rethink Home..” presenters, are realtors and very knowledgeable about seniors’ needs. They listed many ways to make homes more accessible, such as handles or levers instead of knobs, firmer flooring, taller toilets and seating, some lower counters for sitting, abundant lighting, balance bars and slip-resistant surfaces in the bathrooms, 36” wide doorways, a first floor retreat, and the use of more technology- motion switches, smart locks, smart phone apps.
If you’re like me, thinking about this transition is a bit scary, and I had to force myself to go there. I hope that sharing some of what I learned will encourage others to stretch a bit and explore these opportunities, whether here or in another community.