The University of Calgary has published an interesting analysis of some groundbreaking work between the Faculty of Environmental Design (EVDS) and the Public Health, Nursing and Medicine Departments.Knowing that by 2030 four of every five new households will be by seniors, and also that older people will make up 80 per cent of the housing demand, the university wanted to explore homes that allow seniors requiring monitoring and those with limited mobility to age in place. These are not for active seniors, but those that require sophisticated design in order to maintain independence and live near families.
The senior architecture design studio incepted a very cool small laneway house that could be constructed in the typical Calgary back yard. The difference between what we in Vancouver call a laneway house? These are smart moveable adaptable spaces designed for older people with slower reflexes and not as good perception, created in consultation with health care professionals, planners and architects. And those spaces are going to be examined and trialled by oldsters. This Global TV video walks you through a smart seniors moveable unit catering to seniors requiring assistance.
While advances in home health technology have the potential to solve some of the housing obstacles facing Canada’s seniors, limited commercial success has been experienced to date, in part because the technology has been developed in isolation from the expertise of architects and planners, the realities of the residential construction industry, and the priorities of the housing market.
The CBC reports that the 460 square foot living quarters locate on a single family lot would be cheaper than a hospital or long-term care facility, and allow seniors closer access to family. The homes could be self-contained or have an above ground “umbilical cord” that could tap into water, heat, electricity, cable and internet from main home. These units would require a medical note, and would be rented just as a wheelchair or other assistive device is acquired.
The intent is for the units to be leased and to be moved from property to property as they are needed.When the unit is no longer needed it can be moved to another property and used by another senior. The City of Calgary is looking at how to permit a temporary use designation for these units, seeing this as a way to allow infirm seniors to continue to age in place in their own communities.
… and unfortunately, illegal in Vancouver.
“The City of Calgary is looking at how to permit a temporary use designation for these units, …”
These structures are probably illegal in Calgary if not most cities in Canada. Surely, Vancouver could also look into this.
It would be great to be able to do single storey lane way houses on a typical Vancouver lot to suit seniors much better (no stairs) but this would require allowing more rear lot coverage and an exemption to the required off street parking spot so unlikely to happen. Our lane way home designs just aren’t suitable for long term aging in place.
Also, the difficulty in designing to Van code means that few will be ‘designed’ in any real sense at all.
Intriguing concept.
I wonder, though, how modular / temporary homes for seniors address access to the neighbourhood and transportation in all seasons. It seems illogical to plunk them down in the backyards of Calgary’s insanely far away exurbs away from services and doctor’s offices.
The EVDS needs to look at the suitability of the urban fabric before narrowing the focus to specific objects.
Author
Reblogged this on Sandy James Planner.
Alberta seems to be the place for this: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/calgary-and-edmonton/boom-box-shipping-container-homes-having-a-moment-in-edmonton/article31294127/?click=sf_globefb
It helps solve some problems, but increases others.
Isolation & loneliness are big senior killers, and this can exacerbate that. The senior might be closer to family (who work 12 hr days), but far from friends of same age. The remedy for that is excessive transportation. I could see a custom bus service of scooping up these seniors, and bringing them to care homes for activities with … other seniors.
It also smells sophmore with excessive digitalization. Gadgets breaks down (who will fix that? A plumber?). These kids think a chip & screen to tell seniors how much & when to dose? Hilarious. Many seniors decide not to involve themselves with new technologies (ATMs, cel phones, etc). Household gadgets get ignored. The home needs to be simple, and very easy to maintain.
Canada’s future is smaller gov’t budgets, smaller bureaucratic armies, more volunteerism, and more self-reliance. Think of the success seniors have in the north Mediterranean, where they live in quiet, compact villages in which food & health care is brought to them.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/21/health/how-to-live-to-100-acciaroli-centenarians/
A very insightful commentary. Thank you.
“Excessive transportation” … indeed. My mother was the only resident in her care facility who owned a computer and used email. It was a lifeline. She also spent most of her time writing while, sadly, most other residents sat for hours a day in the halls.
But, if this allows a senior to stay in the same neighbourhood, and if their neighbouring senior friends can do so also, then the close network can be maintained.
Also, many seniors might not like tech … however many do, so we need not make blanket statements saying these need to be too simple – like anything else, design with the user in mind.
Also, why is the neoliberal smaller is better a fait accompli? Canada would be better off following the Scandinavian model, why is that less of a possibility?