The “New Old Age,” which is one of my favorite blogs, includes a recent post about a new idea for senior housing, in which they describe some homebuilders’ experiments with prefabricated cottages designed to be erected in the backyard as stand-alone residences for elderly family members.  

We all know families that are struggling with the decision of where our parents should live when they are no longer safe in their own homes.  Even if  their children  are willing to have them live with them, their homes may not be suitable.  And while our parents may acknowledge the need to leave their current homes, they don’t want to relinquish all of their independence and privacy.

Here in Arizona, many homes have separate “casitas,” or guest houses, which many families have converted to “mother-in-law” apartments.  The ideas described in this post specifically address the needs of seniors who may have issues with mobility or otherwise be in declining health that are definitely worth exploring. http://nyti.ms/JQxef6.  It seems to me that it is another way in which good ideas for our seniors could also be good business.