Learn How to Build a Successful Multigenerational Home
New seminar shares secrets for an outstanding family compound.
“Mom! Dad! I’m home!”
It’s a common refrain among adult children in Hawaii. Nearly 250,000 locals lived in multigenerational homes in 2018, amid rising costs for housing and nursing care. That number is expected to increase due to the pandemic. And while the benefits of multigenerational living are obvious, stories of families that have tried it and failed are worrisome.
Is it possible to plan your home to include ohana, while minimizing family squabbles? Yes, it is! Local design-build contractor Graham Builders is offering a free seminar that will educate attendees on how to build a successful multigenerational residence. “All in the Ohana” will be held on Dec. 8, 2021, as part of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii’s Webinar Wednesdays program. The seminar received excellent reviews when it premiered in September.
“I liked learning that my family was not alone in wanting a multigenerational home,” shares one seminar attendee. “My 72-year-old mother moved in with us in 2019. When the pandemic hit in 2020, two of our adult children and their families moved back to Hawaii. Unable to find affordable housing, both families moved in with us.”
The attendee adds, “We love our family, but our home got so crowded! The seminar gave us ideas” to make it work.
In Hawaii, caring for family elders is embraced and expected. Nursing home costs are unaffordable for many, triggering families to provide kupuna care at home. Durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, home dialysis machines and hospital beds have become common in private residences. These items allow people to live at home — if the residence can accommodate the equipment.
“The presenters did a good job in introducing me to ways that I can take better care of my mother when she is less mobile,” says the attendee. “The photos in their slideshow and the case studies were helpful.”
Common challenges of multigenerational living are addressed in the Graham Builders seminar, with concerns about personal privacy topping the list. “All in the Ohana” shares solutions and options.
“The seminar was an eye-opener!” says another seminar attendee. “I felt guilty about resenting my loss of independence. Until the seminar, I didn’t realize that private space is possible. What a relief to know there are options.
“I didn’t have much choice in sharing my home with family,” continues the attendee. “I care about them and want to be sure they have a place to stay. The way I see it, ‘ohana living’ is necessary for so many of us local families.”
It is true. At least 250,000 locals already know that sharing their home with family members is a necessary strategy to keeping ohana safe and in Hawaii. It makes good sense to listen to the advice of experienced experts.
For more than three decades, Graham Builders has helped Hawaii families make the most of their island homes at every stage of life. Founded in 1990, the Honolulu design-build firm remains the only contractor in Hawaii honored by the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Business Ethics. Its free “All in the Ohana” seminar will take place online on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, at 6 p.m. Register now at grahambuilders.com/seminar or call (808) 593-2808.
