What is An Elder Care Room?

Elder room plan created with floorplanner.com

An elder care room is a designated space in a family’s house where elderly relatives can come to live when their health and mobility start to falter, and they are no longer able to care exclusively for themselves. Ideally, the room would be a suite with a small kitchen and bathroom, so your relative will feel like they have maintained some of their independence in their own little apartment. If an entire suite is not possible, you can make the most of a first-floor bedroom or office or even dining room to make your elderly relative feel at home and to meet their growing needs.

While building a home, families try to be forward thinking and anticipate needs that they may encounter down the road. From game rooms for future teens to a man cave for the man of the house when he inevitably needs a few minutes to himself, much thought and effort goes into creating a house that will grow with a family and continue to meet its needs. There is one niche, however, that sometimes gets overlooked. With the aging population, one very real need is a live in room or suite for an elderly parent if they are unable to live on their own.

The percentage of people age 65 and over is projected to double in the next few decades, leaving more people in need of assistance. With more elderly people in the population, and little interest in the expense and impersonal nature of nursing homes or assisted living facilities, many families are choosing to create a special room for grandma or grandpa for when the time comes that they need a little extra help, whether for a temporary emergency situation or for full time living.