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We provide you with articles on brain science, timely topics, and healthy living for those affected by neurologic challenges or seeking better brain health.  

Wellness
By Bob Barnett

Accessible Tiny Homes May Be an Affordable Alternative to Assisted Living

Illustration of woman in a wheelchair looking out of a window
Illustration by Jeannie Phan

Finding a place to live can be difficult for anyone, but for people with disabilities—about 13 percent of Americans—securing the right living space can be especially challenging. Only 5 percent of housing in the United States is accessible, and only 1 percent can accommodate wheelchairs, according to a hearing of the bipartisan Senate Special Committee on Aging in July 2023. With such a housing shortage, many people may opt to adapt or retrofit their existing spaces to accommodate their disabilities, a process that can be expensive, or move into assisted living facilities or nursing homes, which have their own drawbacks.

Now another option may be possible: tiny homes. These small spaces—usually one floor and often less than 400 square feet—can be designed for accessibility. They can be built as stand-alone houses on an existing property or placed on the property of a friend's or relative's larger home. Either way, these units can be accessible, affordable, and easy to maintain, says Glenn Seliger, MD, a rehabilitation neurologist and the director of traumatic brain injury services at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, NY. “Tiny homes, which can typically be rented for $3,500 a month, are relatively inexpensive compared with other options,” he says. For example, the median cost of assisted living in the U.S. is more than $5,000 a month, according to a 2023 Genworth Cost of Care Survey.

One company making these types of tiny homes is WheelPad, so named because each modular unit sits on a chassis with wheels and is considered a personal accessible dwelling (PAD). Founder Julie Lineberger, who owned a sustainable architecture firm, got the idea after her godson broke his neck in a swimming pool accident and had to live in a motel because he couldn't find accessible housing. When her godson was eventually able to buy a house, Lineberger retrofitted the home to make it accessible.

Five years later, Lineberger started making modular units for people who are unable or reluctant to leave their homes but need accessible bedrooms and bathrooms. WheelPad makes two models. SuitePAD is approximately 200 square feet and includes a bedroom-and-bath suite with high ceilings, large windows, a large bathroom that can accommodate a wheelchair and a caregiver, a ceiling lift track in case a hoist is needed, and other accessible features, such as electrical outlets at wheelchair height and easily controlled light dimmers. A larger model, StudioPAD, has the same features plus a kitchenette and a washer and dryer.

One of WheelPad's customers is Leigh Woodruff, who broke his neck in a mountain bike accident in February 2022 and became completely paralyzed. He spent five months in a hospital in Englewood, CO, and another nine months in a rehabilitation center and as part of a clinical research trial at the University of Washington in Seattle. By the time he was discharged, Woodruff was able to walk “slowly” and had limited use of his arms and hands—and needed a place to stay. His sister and brother-in-law, who live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, wanted to take him in, but their house couldn't accommodate his needs.

After some research, Woodruff, who is now 55, leased a SuitePAD for 18 months for $3,250 a month, which he paid for through his Social Security benefits and a pension from a long career at the Environmental Protection Agency. “It really worked for me,” says Woodruff, who has weakness in his arms and left hand. Living a few feet from his sister's house, he knew he had help next door if he needed it, but he also had autonomy and privacy.

Woodruff has since moved back to his hometown of Boise, ID, where he lived for 35 years, and into an assisted living facility for $4,000 a month while he searches for a permanent home that meets his needs, including access to gym equipment and a pool. “I drive a modified car and keep pushing myself to be independent,” he says. “The SuitePAD was an important step in that transition.”

After Kevin Oliver was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in March 2023 at age 41 and could no longer live on his own in Dallas, he moved in with his brother, James, near Hartford, CT. At first, he lived in the finished basement. A year later, James and his wife, Laura, purchased a SuitePAD for $104,000 with a buyback commitment from the company—once the family no longer needs the unit, WheelPad will evaluate it, come to a mutually agreed upon price with the buyer, and purchase it back.

“We liked the fact that it included a ceiling track for a hoist, which we knew Kevin would eventually need,” says Laura. “We were so relieved to get Kevin out of the basement, so he didn't have to climb stairs. Now he's safe and has access to the main floor of our house. And we can pop in to check on him, see what he needs. Plus, it's a beautiful space, with a ton of light, which is good for his morale. He's fairly independent now, but when he needs more support, he can stay there.”

Other Accessible Tiny Homes

Larry Stauffer, who was diagnosed at 18 months with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disorder that affects the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and voluntary muscles, owns Larry's Home Designs in Stevens, PA. For the past 25 years, he's been drafting and marketing plans for accessible stand-alone houses and serves as a consultant during the building process.

When he and his wife bought a Cape Cod house in 2009, he immediately drew up plans to make it more accessible. “We converted the bathroom and expanded it, creating a wider toilet area. We also eliminated one bedroom and turned it into a larger closet space,” says Stauffer, who is 65. “We added short ramps to allow easy access to the house.”

By 2015, Stauffer had created several accessible design plans that include a wheelchair-accessible main bedroom and a second bedroom for a caregiver or relative. Unlike the SuitePAD, Stauffer's homes are designed to be situated on foundations. The best-selling unit is the 600-square-foot Oasis—which includes two bedrooms, an accessible bathroom with a stacked washer/dryer, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen with low countertops—and is small enough to fit in a backyard. The 798-square-foot Legend has an open plan with a larger kitchen and a caregiver's bedroom on the opposite side from the primary resident's bedroom for more privacy.

The basic plans—blueprints that provide detailed architectural drawings and specifications—cost about $500, but Stauffer often works with clients to make modifications for their specific needs, which may add another $1,500 to $2,000. The final cost for building is usually around $180,000 to $200,000. By comparison, the average cost of a new house in the U.S. is more than $500,000.

Another option, especially for people who need a place quickly on a temporary basis, is a recreational vehicle that's been adapted for wheelchairs. The Winnebago Roam, for example, has a wheelchair lift and accessible appliances. The smaller model, which starts at about $185,000, sleeps two, while the larger version, which starts at around $209,000, sleeps four. List prices are often discounted at retail and may be much lower if the vehicle is secondhand.

In some cities, public officials are creating small collections of tiny homes as a solution for homelessness, including for unhoused people with disabilities. In Austin, TX, for example, the Community First Village offers tiny homes as permanent supportive housing for people with disabilities.

In Olympia, WA, Abel Zyl, owner of Zyl Vardos, builds 400-square-foot homes with entry ramps and wide entry spaces. The homes are on wheels and can be shipped anywhere in the country. When designing for someone with a disability, Zyl adds space so that wheelchairs can pull up to counters and the bathroom sink, creates a low threshold for the shower, and installs grab bars in the bathrooms. The homes cost about $100,000 to $115,000, with another $2,000 or $3,000 to make them fully accessible.

Read More

How to Create an Accessible Tiny Home

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