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Picture this. An older family member increasingly needs more help with their daily activities. They can no longer handle the responsibility of keeping up their large house. You’re getting nervous about them living alone, yet they’re not to the point of requiring assisted living or a nursing home.
You love your family member dearly, and it would be great to have them living closer to your home. But, for a variety of reasons, you don’t feel you can invite them to move in with you.
Perhaps a Minka is your answer. The concept of a Minka was created by Dr. Bill Thomas. If his name sounds familiar, it’s probably because Dr. Thomas developed the Eden Alternative and the Green House project.
A Minka is a compact house that you can customize to meet the needs of an individual. Minka homes are designed to be energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and affordable.
In the words of Dr. Thomas, the Minka envelopes the idea that “all people deserve to live in the place and manner of their choosing.” It comes from the Japanese word meaning “a house for regular people.”
You may see a Minka in two different settings. The first is a compact house that sits near the primary home on a family’s existing property. This allows the older adult to have ready access to companionship, and any help they need, while still providing privacy.
The second design involves a cluster of Minkas built as a community. Outside services may come in to enhance socialization, nutrition, or physical activity.
While the Minka offers a popular option for older adults, it can support the independence of people of any age. In fact, Dr. Thomas created the first Minka for his daughter, Haleigh Jane. Born with a rare neurological disorder, Haleigh requires 24-hour care.
One benefit of a Minka is its rapid construction. After completing the house’s framework in a centralized location, they ship the house to its destination. There the house is assembled—usually on a concrete slab—followed by the finishing touches such as plumbing, wiring, roofing, and furnishing. The entire process makes the house ready to occupy in about two weeks.
If you would like to try out a Minka, a prototype is available to rent through Airbnb. Located on beautiful Cayuga Lake in New York, this Minka houses up to four people.
You can also find a Minka on the University of Southern Indiana campus in Evansville. Here it helps students better understand the needs of the aged and those with disabilities.
What do you think? Can you picture yourself or a family member living in a Minka? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!
Here’s another housing option you may wish to explore: The Dementia Care Farm
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