Family Caregivers Month: Caregivers and Custom Homes

November 17, 2016

Caregivers are some of the most extraordinary human beings in the world. They selflessly give up part of their life to care for those that need help. If you are a caregiver be sure to take care of yourself and give yourself plenty of slack and patience. If you know a caregiver do what you can to help them. That may mean volunteering or buying them coffee every now and then. Whatever will effectively say, “thank you.” If you are creating a custom home so you can take care of your parents, grandparents, people living with mental or physical illness, or small children here are a few things you may want to consider.

Caring for Aging Parents or Grandparents

If your parents will be moving into your new home with your family there are plenty of ways to make everyone comfortable and happy. Some of the most popular designs give the parents or grandparents their own part of the home. This could simply mean designing a section with their own external exit or it could mean designing the section of the home with their own bedroom, living room, and bathroom. This way they will still be independent but won’t be too far away from your care. If either of your parents or grandparents use a wheelchair or other walking aids you will need to create a welcoming and easily traversable home for them. This can be done with ramps, chair lifts, elevated toilets, and wheelchair accessible showers. This way they can still have their independence and dignity.

Caring for People with Mental or Physical Illnesses

Caring for those living with a mental or physical illness can be much easier when you create a custom home designed for them and their family. This will give them a wonderful source of independence, confidence, and happiness. If you are able to build a custom home be sure to watch and understand how the person travels through your existing home and what challenges them. This way you can immediately plan for obstacles and create a streamlined, simple home. Depending on their needs you will also want to consider different appliances to make home life simple and comfortable. Discuss the changes with the person, their doctor, and your contractor before you begin building. That way the home can be built efficiently and comfortably.

Caring for Small Children

Having a home that has many generations can make life easier and fun. If you have parents or grandparents that will live in your home then you may want to consider the possibility of them watching your children. This can be great if both parents work, one is at home with a large to-do list or someone just wants to take a nap.