Benefits of Multi-generational Homes
- Stronger relationships - This creates better relationships between people as they spend more time together than an average family would, it allows a deeper connection. It also creates a mutual understanding, empathy, and connection between people.
- Easier access to care - This is more than just the older generation as it's also important for the youngest. It allows for more supervision of everyone creating a collaborative family. The oldest generation might require different care as they age, as the kids age they join in on the caregiving creating more understanding and compassionate people.
- Shared living cost - it allows the pooling of finances and allows everyone to save money to spend on other things, adult children would also be able to add to the shared fund as they age, and if a carer is maybe needed for family members they won't be as necessary all the time or as much as the family members are more likely to be home more.
- Reduce loneliness - Britain is experiencing a loneliness epidemic meaning all generations are feeling lonely. 12% of young people often or always feel lonely, and 27% of working people feel the same. A study in the UK said over one million old people went at least a month without speaking to a friend, neighbor, or family member.
- Support for mental health and well-being - it can affect people with conditions that create memory loss or cognitive changes as a daily routine of seeing the same faces all the time lowers the anxiety they might be facing. The simple day-to-day tasks that you have to do when living with other people can boost cognitive function and social stimulation. It also allows for skills to be passed from generation to generation.
Challenges of Multi-generational Homes
- Reduces privacy - having everyone in mostly shared areas can be an adjustment when people have been living independently they have to adjust to the new environment. The space itself can dramatically affect how it affects your privacy like the number of doors to enter and how often your paths cross with someone else's.
- Family conflict - there is a potential for fights and conflicts between people. 57% of UK people said moving house is one of their most stressful life events, it can be difficult navigating and communicating with others. There is also a potential for different opinions and attitudes across the different generations.
- Noise - more people more noise which can be from all ages the youngest playing and the oldest with TV which can cause issues for people.
- Risk of caregiver burnout - living with multiple generations can create a sandwich generational with the middle age group being responsible for the others which can lead to the caregivers being overwhelmed and not having time to themselves.
https://blog.stannah.com/multigenerational-living
Japan