The Adventure: Buying a Multigenerational Home
Multigenerational homes are growing in demand as the Greatest Generation and early Baby Boomer generation begin to require assistance to continue living quality lives. As a Realtor in the Lamorinda Area of the Bay Area, I wanted to share my experience with others making the transition to a multigenerational home or see that it might be in their future. I hope my failures and successes help you avoid the potential landmines that could damage a family.
Part III – Adjustments
“Well, this isn’t ideal,” my Oldest-Older Sister said as she looked at the shower over tub combination that would become my mother’s bathroom. Although, physically much younger, my then ninety-year-old mother was just coming back from a broken hip and was not going to the gym 5 days a week like before the fall. “She would be better off with a step-less shower,” she added.
A new bathroom was in her future and that meant a lot of headaches for me to deal with on top of the new living arrangements. Although I tried to complete some of the work myself, I quickly realized I was well over my head. Less than half way through the job, I had to ask for help from my professional contacts. I wanted to be responsible, so I maintained involvement, but a mind-numbing number of trips to source the materials is all I can remember from the experience. After its’ completion, however, I was really happy with the cleanness of the look. And, somewhere in the back of my mind I felt some sense of pride in creating a bathroom befitting the woman who raised me.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” my mom said in her typical stolid tone. Well, OK…maybe not the gushing display of “thanks for all your efforts son” I was shooting for, but I’ll take what I can get.
Having two boys made the bathroom situation a lot easier. I told them to use the half bath and our master bath for most of their needs and only use Nana’s Bathroom for simultaneous showers or late night emergencies. If I had girls…all bets would have been off. In fact, I would have looked for a house with more bathrooms.
My wife took on the Comcast installation. She pretty much just told me what she was going to do and I wasn’t gonna argue. Turns out, her 25+ years in health care has given her pretty good insight into aging and mental health. She realized an aging woman’s need for privacy. Not to shut herself away, but just space from two teenage boys, friends and a husband who apparently never does much the way she wants it done.
We ended up putting in a ton of TV hook ups and a security system with a camera so I could monitor her in the living room when I was at the office. An outsider might walk into the house and think it was a Buffalo Wild Wings with all the TV’s, but when I want to watch a golf major, my wife wants to watch the Warriors or Raiders while my mom is watching Korean or Chinese Soap Operas the house is still at peace.
Bottom line, no house will be perfect for your situation, but if you are prepared to make the necessary adjustments to make it workable, you’ll be prepared to tackle the additional issues that arise.
Part V - Mom Likes to Pay Her Own Bills
Part VI – I’ll Just Stay Home and Watch TV…
