By Elyse Umlauf-Garneau
It's becoming more common to see multiple generations of people living under one roof,
and statistics point to a rise in such living arrangements.
And after a significant drop in multigenerational living arrangements between 1940 and 1980, the Pew Research Center (http://pewsocialtrends.org/assets/pdf/752-multi-generational-families.pdf) is seeing a trend reversal.
In the past decade, an estimated 49 million Americans (16 percent of the total U.S. population) lived in a family household that contained at least two adult generations or a grandparent and at least one other generation. In 1980, this figure was just 28 million, or 12 percent of the population, according to Pew.
A tough economy, more elderly parents needing care, a larger immigrant population and a rise in the first-time marriage age all are contributing to the change.
For some, it just comes down to family bonds. Many want their children to know their grandparents and have a sense of family.
If you're thinking of such an arrangement for your family, here are some real estate considerations:
· One-floor ranch homes with separate entrances make it easier for elderly residents to get in and out of the house, and a separate entrance offers them some privacy. Properties later can be modified with ramps to accommodate aging in place.
· Multilevel properties retrofitted with elevators can transform a multi-story house into an accessible option for seniors.
· Lower levels that can be converted to living areas with kitchenettes deliver privacy and autonomy for younger and older family members.
· Opening walls between bedrooms can accommodate a suite with sitting and sleeping areas for seniors.
· Coach houses are ideal both for boomerang college students or seniors. They also can house caretakers.
· Renting a house for a senior in a child's neighborhood has become an appealing option for some as well.
Observers do warn that such living arrangements can be rife with conflict. "Practicing effective communication principles and utilizing a family meeting format, the three Rs--rules, roles and resources--need to be ironed out before the blending of generations occur," comments Richard Horowitz, a New Jersey family and relationship coach (www.GrowingGreatRelationships.com), who gives seminars on effective intergenerational households.
His rules of thumb include:
· Rules- How will we handle disciplining kids, chores, and the use of computers and other media devices?
· Roles- How are decisions made? Who's in charge of what? How are chores assigned and carried out?
· Resources- Who pays and how much? What else non-monetarily can individuals contribute?
It can be wonderful to have an entire family living together. "For the senior, it can be a source of pride that they've raised a loving caring family that wants to be together. You just have to make a pledge that it's going to work."
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