Above are images of the hottest new home health care trend that may replace nursing homes for multiple reasons. MEDCottages, AKA “Granny Pods,” come fully equipped with the necessities of a comfortable environment for your aging family members:
- Electricity & water connected to homeowner’s utilities
- Kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, and medication dispenser
- Monitoring system available
- Additional accommodation for a caregiver’s visit
- Handicapped-accessible
- Mobile & temporary
THE AVERAGE COST OF NURSING HOME CARE WAS ALMOST $7,000 PER MONTH IN 2010.
The harsh reality: $7,000/month x 12 months = $84,000 per year, every year that they are alive. Your parent(s) are left alone to care for themselves as they age, leaving you with the stress and anxiety of their overall health when you’re not by their side. Risks of falling, illnesses such as the flu and pneumonia, depression, and Alzheimer’s are some of the most common health risks of the elderly. An estimated 23 million Americans take care of their elderly parents. How will you take care of yours? Let’s review some of the options:
Nursing Home Option
Expense: $7,000/mo x 12/mo = $84,000/yr
Our parents are worth every penny; however, does $84,000 per year cover their freedom and comfort as well as your trust? Possibly.
Freedom: Our elders spent years living independent lives. Convincing our parents to move into a nursing home is not an easy task. Many nursing homes have scheduled activities as well as visiting times, but many nursing home residents find these schedules as removing their freedom to what they want when they want. “For many elderly people, the move to a nursing home represents the end of the road and a loss of independence. It’s a place you go to die,” says Aging Care. These thoughts can lead to depression and other health risks.
Trust: Face it, the term nursing home scares us. We’ve all heard the horror stories linked to nursing home care, and it makes us nervous: infectious illnesses, neglect, depression, loneliness and depression. Fortunately, with extensive research, families are able to find a nursing home they can trust to care for their loved one.
Tip: Click here to find some of the top rated nursing homes in your state.
Everybody Loves Raymond Option
Expense: Buying a second home for your parents to live nearby is not always in the cards, even if it’s a manufactured home down the street. A second home means a second mortgage, so ask yourself these questions before purchasing a home for your parents:
- Do you have enough to pay a second mortgage?
- Are you ready to take on more debt if your home is not paid off?
- Can you afford to spend money on making the home handicapped-accessible?
Freedom: Alright, so you buy a second home so your parents can maintain two very important aspect of their lives: space and independence. Let’s be honest, Everybody Loves Raymond was popular for a reason! It can be difficult to live next door to parents. As part of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) funds and conducts research related to aging, including how older people can remain independent.
Tip: Click here for advice on how your parents can live independently with the right care.
Trust: Every morning, you can wake up, drink a cup of coffee, slip on your shoes and take a short stroll or cruise to Grandma’s house. What’s wrong with that? They have their freedom, you have your sanity, but can you truly trust they will be safe? Are the stairs getting too hard to climb? Is it difficult to bathe? Can they hurt themselves on the hardwood or tile floors? Remember, you can always hire a part-time home health care professional to help with the burden of caring for your elderly parents.
Tip: Click here for more information on renovation loan programs to make the home more handicapped-accessible.
Granny Pods Option
Expense: Whether you build your own or purchase a Granny Pod through MEDCottage, think about it this way:
$50,000 granny pod/$7,000 = approximately 7.14 months
With the $7,000 per month payment on a nursing home, you could pay off your Granny Pod in about 7 months?! On the 8th month, your decision is and will be the best forever moving forward. Granny Pods are the more affordable option for home health care for your parents.
Tip: Why not increase your home value with a granny pod? Click here for advice on how to install and transform your granny pod into a useful space that increases home value.
Freedom: Our elders are often stubborn when it comes down to leaving their home due to old age. Though the idea of a granny pod still might be offensive to them, you can explain that they will still have the same freedom of having their own space. You can customize your granny pod based on their hobbies: reading nook, sewing station, television room, garden station, etc. Granny pods are able to be handicap accessible and convenient right in the backyard. With your loved one close by without invading anyone’s space, you can have peace of mind.
Trust: The care, cleanliness, location, visiting and activities are all in your control with a Granny Pod. You do not have to put your loved one in the hands of a facility when they are right in your backyard. You can give them their privacy by installing a help button or alarm system they can set in case they need help. In-home nursing care is also an option to add for proper care, given your loved ones situation. Your loved one can live comfortably, and you can trust they are in good hands.
Tip: Click here for loan options to help you finance your Granny Pod.
Remember, not only is a Granny Pod one of the lowest options in terms of cost, you also have one of the most unique selling points in the entire neighborhood: another structure.