For many seniors looking to age in place, tiny homes often provide the right opportunities to live independently. These are simple and small living spaces that generally have a low cost of living and maintenance compared to traditional houses. These houses are also made with eco-friendly features, making them ideal for seniors who are interested in leading a sustainable lifestyle. These homes also combine safety, functionality, simplicity, as well as affordability.
Features of tiny homes for seniors
These living spaces are designed with thoughtful planning, offering accessible features and floor plans for seniors that make independent living comfortable, safer, and stress-free. Most of these homes come with various common features like:
- Wider doorways for convenient movement of mobility devices
- Contrasting colors for better visual orientation
- Elevated appliances to reduce the need for bending
- Pull-down and pull-out shelving and storage solutions
- Door handles with levers
- Lighting with motion activation
- Light switches positioned at lower heights along the walls
- Pet doors designed for service animals
- Blinds with remote control
- Electric cooktops
- Walk-in closets that are wide enough for wheelchair and walker access
- Emergency call buttons in strategic locations
Besides, most tiny homes for seniors have single living spaces to make sure every part of the home is easily accessible for occupants. Such single-level tiny homes offer various advantages to seniors, helping them lead an independent and active lifestyle without any barriers. These include:
- Lack of stairs
- Ease of movement with an open floor plan
- Ramps incorporated at strategic places
- Bedroom at the same level, unlike other tiny homes coming with lofted beds
The bathrooms, too, are designed to be accessible and safe. Often, the bathroom designs cater to the varying needs of seniors, incorporating various features like:
- A shower without a curb or a walk-in tub
- Safety aids such as built-in benches
- Roll-under sink with adjustable heights
- Grab bars in the bathroom and shower areas
- Non-slip flooring constructions
- Touchless faucets
Besides, tiny homes also offer customizable options that can be incorporated into the space during the construction stage. Generally, many seniors prefer to have options like bed-lift systems and heated flooring for additional comfort and convenience. Most of these features are customized in anticipation of the potential mobility that will likely arise in the future.
Reasons to move into tiny homes for seniors
Seniors opt to live in a tiny home for various reasons. Downsizing and independent living are a few reasons why older adults prefer relocating to a tiny home close to their family and friends.
1. Downsizing
A good way to save one’s nest egg during their golden years is to downsize. A tiny home offers the right opportunity to do this. Plus, with a smaller home, there are low maintenance costs involved. Besides, there are fewer rooms, which means less time and money will be invested in repairs. Lastly, seniors can cash on the home equity of their larger house by selling it and moving into a tiny home.
2. Less work to do
The size of an average house is nearly 2,600 square feet. But, a tiny home has an area that is roughly 10% of this. Smaller spaces invariably mean less time, effort, and money spent on housekeeping tasks.
3. Low utility bills
Seniors living on a fixed income often look to cut down on expenses. With a tiny home, this becomes possible as it lets one save considerably on water and energy consumption. Since less energy will be required to cool down or heat up the place during severe weather conditions, the utility bills will be significantly low.
4. Closeness to family
Instead of moving to a distant senior community or assisted living facility in another part of the city, an older adult can consider staying in a tiny home closer to their family. Such homes can be easily built on the same property as that of a family member. This ensures that a senior enjoys their independence while staying close to their family. But, it is important to thoroughly examine the zoning regulations, building codes, and local ordinances before carrying out any construction activities on a family member’s property. Even moving a tiny home on wheels will lead to legal complications in some areas.
Cost of tiny homes for seniors
Constructing a tiny home specifically for seniors generally costs about a fraction of the amount needed for a traditional house. Plus, there is the additional advantage of lower debts involved with tiny homes. While a tiny home can cost anything above $50,000, a traditional house generally costs over $400,000
Besides, there are significant cost benefits of staying in a tiny home compared to assisted living facilities. The average cost of building and maintaining a tiny home ranges between $52,000 and $60,000. Meanwhile, the average cost of assisted living facilities can start from about $4,000 per month. Plus, the upfront cost associated with a tiny home can be regained quickly over a period of a few years. With lower utility bills and maintenance costs, tiny homes for seniors invariably offer more affordable long-term living solutions.
