seniors with their tiny homes
Julie Hambleton
Julie Hambleton
December 26, 2023 ·  3 min read

Seniors Are Buying Tiny Homes to Live Their Golden Years Off the Grid

It’s now a significant trend among senior citizens to buy cute tiny homes for their post-retirement years. Not RVs, but tiny wooden structures sometimes put up on wheels as an alternative to assisted living. These homes make it easy for elderly people to cope on their own. Having to worry about paying an outrageous mortgage and managing excess space is not healthy. A lot of elderly people want something cozy and compact to make life less stressful. It’s also much easier to make small homes suited to the needs of the elderly.

Tiny homes make living off the grid more feasible

In a chat with Sanluisobispo.com, 72-year-old Bette Presley reveals how comfortable her life has been in her tiny home. She lives off the grid in a mobile 166-square inch home in Arroyo Grande, and she’s confessed to living her best life for the past 14 years.

Mrs. Presley had wanted somewhere small and cozy she could live entirely off the grid and be mobile. She got her dream when her little house with wheels came in and solar panels were installed. She got rid of a lot of the old, useless stuff taking up her space, and she moved in with the most essential items. She wanted to reconnect with nature, and her new home literally brings her ‘down to earth’.

Great options for downsizing

When all your kids move away and you loathe the idea of assisted living, compact living may be the next best thing. In a chat with Today Home, 61-year-old retired music teacher Adele Smith said she couldn’t endure the size of her large house anymore.

`“I had my little corner of the living room where I’d watch TV, and I’d use the bathroom and my bedroom and the kitchen. And I’m like, I’m just storing crap in this house. I’m not using this stuff.”

Mrs. Smith decided to move into a tiny home because she couldn’t deal with the massive space she was living all alone in. Her only daughter had moved out and she needed something that’d make her feel less lonely.

She got rid of her 1300-square-foot and got a 140-square-foot bungalow in Oregon. It’s much smaller than she’s ever lived in, and she says, “It fits me to a T. I’m really very content.” Her new home has everything a home should have, and most importantly, it’s small.

Money saved when space is saved

Many elderly people move into these homes to save money, not particularly because they need to downsize. Tiny homes are quite affordable, ranging from $10,500 to about $20,000 depending on the size and furnishing. In fact, they have been selling quickly.

It’s the best option for anyone seeking something affordable and probably mortgage-free. A lot of elderly people being catered for by their children wouldn’t want them spending a lot on useless space. They opt to move into these homes so their children can save funds.

Assisted living, move over!

Tiny homes are a great alternative for senior citizens who don’t want to move into assisted living. The homes can be tweaked to suit their physical and mental needs. According to Today Home, Dani Moore who has osteoporosis had a wheel-chair ramp installed in front of her house.

She also installed a chain host with a rock-climbing harness to help her lift off her seat. Some even have visual and voice assistants to remind the elderly of certain things, such as prayer and medication.

MEDCottage designs and constructs these small houses with this purpose as a major pace-setter. Their cute homes – nicknamed “granny pods” – are state-of-the-art homes that basically watch over the elderly. Their homes have facilities equipped into the tiny spaces to make it easy for elderly people to live on their own, unaided by nurses and caregivers.

Tiny homes as a business strategy

The Sausage Nonnas of Italy are using their tiny mobile homes to put the ‘-s’ in ‘strategy’.  These three grandmothers from Italy run a wonderful sausage delivery service in Chicago from their small homes. They make sausages on Sundays for events. Sometimes, they move their homes the location and set up shop on site. Other times, they just deliver batches to their clients. Nonna Antonia, Nonna Gina, and Nonna Lidia can’t stop being working class ladies, even in their golden years!

Keep Reading: This Mobile Home Comes With Its Own Mobile Porch And Greenhouse