Nearly 4 million retirees live with their adult children, and that number is expected to grow over the next two decades as the baby boomers reach retirement, increasing the elderly population by more than 100 percent. Many families are choosing to live in multi-generational homes either out of economic concerns, health issues or just to be close with their loved ones. However, having two or three generations living under one roof is not easy to manage. Here are five tips for retirees who are considering moving in with one of their adult children.
1. They should have their own space in the home and respect the space of others. Having a room or suite would be best, so that the senior can continue in their daily routines; be it taking afternoon naps, quiet reading time at night, or waking at the crack of dawn to meditate.
2. The senior should try not to interfere with the rest of the household. If there are grandchildren in the home, respect their parents' rules. Grandparents should not criticize the child's parent; if they feel they must give the adult some advice or make a suggestion, they should not do it in front of the child. If the retiree wakes earlier than the rest of the household, they should go about their activities quietly. Likewise, the other household members should respect the senior's early bedtime by being quiet in the evenings.
3. Manage their own paperwork. This goes for bills, retiree medical insurance, wills and estate planning. The senior parent should not expect the adult child to do work that they can manage by themselves or hire out.
4. Being courteous and helping out in the home will make things less stressful for all parties. Every member of the household should participate in daily chores. The senior should offer to take on tasks in areas that they are capable of, and then do them regularly. If changes need to be made to accommodate physical or mental limitations, they should communicate openly about it with the adult child.
5. Retirees should manage their own finances and contribute to the home financially. Assuming they have some sort of income, they should help out with bills which have likely increased due to their presence in the home such as food and utilities. If they require special additions to the home, they should pay for as much of it as they are able to.
Following these tips will help retirees transition into life with their adult children more easily. Follow the golden rule, speak well of others, and live as independently as possible; those are the keys to making life in a multi-generational home work.
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