Officially called a MEDCottage, these are modular units that can be placed in a family members yard and may be an alternative to nursing home placement. The company that manufacturers them, N2Care, says their mission is to “to design, create and deliver products that will enable families the opportunity to directly participate in the extended care of loved ones.”
There are three sizes available ranging from 288 – 605 square feet, although the size and design of each cottage is customizable. Each unit has a kitchen, bedroom, visiting area, and a handicapped accessible bathroom. Electricity and water connections are made to the homeowner’s utilities. The units also have an array of high-tech features to monitor medication, vital signs, and may be equipped with features found in most modern hospital rooms, including safety rails, lighted flooring, built-in cameras and a defibrillator machine.
According to Kenneth Dupin, the founder and CEO of N2Care, sometimes local zoning restrictions limit where the cottages may be placed. The Cottages, which can cost up to $125,000, have generated a lot of interest as families look for alternatives to nursing home placement for an aging parent.
More Information on MEDCottages:
CBS Morning News Story: “Granny Pods: Inside Housing Alternative for Aging Loved Ones.”
Washington Post: “Pioneering The Granny Pod”