GRANNY FLATS: A BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO NURSING HOME Gran Designs WA 118A Stirling Hwy, North Fremantle, WA 6159 0439 093 001 info@grandesignswa.com.au
Nursing homes provide the elderly with flexible aged care options to address their varying needs. People send their parents and grandparents in nursing homes to receive the care they need. Despite the good intention, sending a loved one to nursing homes is always a difficult decision both for the elderly and their families. Australia’s aged care system offers different options for elderly care. Before the elderly are sent to nursing homes, their families have the option to provide residential care by hiring staff to provide basic support and assistance. Living in Rental Homes Older people do have their own choice, though. Some use their pensions to rent their own place instead of going to nursing homes. Some families on the other hand choose to evict the elderly because they simply cannot afford to care for them, and they also cannot afford to send them to nursing homes. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show a 44 per cent increase in the number of older people who reside in private rentals. Some people in retirement age want their own place where they can spend the rest of their lives. Although renting might be expensive considering they do not have enough resources, some elderlies still choose rental homes over nursing homes and being a burden to their families.
Home Extensions There are contractors in Australia who specifically build home extensions for the elderly. Families can choose to add home extensions instead of sending their loved ones away in nursing homes. Extension projects provide flexibility for any type of home in accordance to the lifestyle demands of the homeowners. Home extensions can cost less than actual home rentals. They can also cost less than sending a parent to live in a nursing facility. Granny flats, for example, can provide elderly people with a comfortable living space. Families only need to find someone who can provide respite help in case an older member of the family needs assistance. Home extensions can be the best alternative. It solves the problem of distance for those who do not want to live away from their loved ones. It also gives the elderly a way to continue living with their families without interfering in their daily lives. By choosing to build home extensions, families are giving their elderlies the chance to remain physically part of the family for the remainder of their lives.
Sources: http://grandesignswa.com.au /extensions-additions http://www.wsws.org/en/arti cles/2012/04/aged-a28.html http://www.aihw.gov.au/age d-care/