Independent living means so much to so many people, no matter what age you are – where it is possible, we strive for independence at a younger age. As we start to get older, however, we often start relying on people or aids to help give us the quality of life we desire.
Common Independent Living Solutions
At this stage, it can be an “easy” idea to think a care home is the only solution. But a care home often comes with more support than what an elderly parent or relative might need.
Another common solution is for the parent to move in with their younger family. This might have its advantages but often the house is not big enough and tensions can be created simply by the fact that nobody is getting the space or independence that they crave.
A third solution might be a retirement village – it sounds like a great idea with assisted living and independence. But often these can be a long journey from where a person lives and it totally disrupts their current positive social lives.
This doesn’t have to be the way.
What has, until in recent years, often not been considered as popularly as it is today, is the idea of an additional dwelling – a granny annexe – in the garden of the family. Be it the senior’s property or the younger generation’s.
This allows for a family to remain together for help with care when it may be needed yet allows truly independent living too. The best of the news is… an annexe can be customised exactly as you wish to help with assisting in care when needed.
Assisted Living Designed for Independence
The iHus range of annexes has been carefully designed over the years to ensure that the families we support have exactly what they need – the space to live.
Our granny annexe builds are efficient and effective in creating a lot of space out of a smaller footprint. This means our annexes can be built in spaces of your property that you may not have thought suitable.
Making great use of space is vital to a successful annexe and that is exactly what we do. But there are many more things to be considered when creating your annexe as it can be built and tailored to meet any needs. With iHus you have the option to customise layout of your annexe so it is built exactly as you wish, with additional rooms or spaces for whatever you need – from extra storage to additional guest bedrooms and much more. You’ll be amazed at some of the annexes we have created and the freedom to customise that is available to them.
But why do we make our annexes so flexible? It’s simple. We want to make your life easier and we believe each annexe should be individual to its owner.
Independent Living Aids
Making life easier can come in many different forms and the facilities in your annexe can include devices and support in the form of home aids.
Aids may be as simple as an extra rail on the steps into your annexe to a bespoke wet room to help when you are showering.
It may be ramps or widening of doors to assist you with a wheelchair or as simple as dropped light switches that are easier to reach.
Whatever you need to make your life easier is what we’ll be happy to provide.
When you’re moving into a new home, designing the features within is always part of the enjoyment – but with an annexe build you’ll be helping to shape a practical solution for yourself to live comfortably and happily for years to come.
Assisting Your Lifestyle
It’s not just assisted living that will make things easy for you. As you adapt to your new life in a manageable annexe home, you don’t want any disruptions in other areas of your life.
Having an annexe built in a family member’s garden means you can stay in the same area as you currently live or know. This has many benefits:
- Being close to family but not living under the same roof – ideal for independence yet remaining within a place to call your own.
- Keeping the same circle of friends close means your social life can be constant. Those coffee mornings and trips out can remain the same as always.
- The best advantage of them all, being close to your grandchildren – if you’re lucky enough to have them, being able to see them on a regular basis without having to travel will be one of the delights of your later years
The choice is in your hands
What many of our customers enjoy is the amount of choice that is available to them when selecting their granny annexe home.
We have a full range of annexes to choose from, popular models include:
The Bawtry, one of our most popular one-bedroom annexes. It is the perfect choice for elderly care or an independent young adult looking for their first home. At just under 30m2 it provides a warm and welcoming annexe home for a smaller garden area.
The Wheatley is our most popular two-bedroom granny annexe, providing plenty of living space and two good sized bedrooms. This model is a product of valued feedback and with a footprint of 60m2 there is so much space available to enjoy.
And while these designs are loved by many, you can always tailor to your own specifications and needs.
Contact iHus for assistance
Contact our team on 0808 164 1111 to discuss the best solution for you! You can also download a brochure or order one to your door for all the inspiration you need to get started.