Milwaukee Post
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August 18, 2017 • Milwaukee County Post • 15 house could range from $5,000 to $20,000, Thistle said. Changes to a stan- dard floor plan might mean a larger garage for a ramp or grading a lot to slope up to have a one-step entry, he added. Similarly, he said, two master bedrooms with pri- vate bathrooms, with one master usually on the main level, might be from $8,000 to $20,000 to convert the sec- ond largest bedroom into a suite with a private bath or shower. A zero-threshold shower allows easy entry for someone with a walker or wheelchair, he added. "I don't know if there's anything different than having two masters with privacy," Thistle said of the top need cited by many for multigenerational living. A Halen model was set up with two masters at a previous Metropolitan Builders Association Parade of Homes, he noted. This year, Halen's Willow ranch model at the Fox Meadow Subdivision next to the Tamarack Preserve in Menomonee Falls doesn't have double master bedrooms. "It would be pretty easy to do," Thistle said of building the model that way. While two-story homes lend themselves easily to having two master suites, preferably one on the main floor, the adjustment for a standard ranch is pretty easy, he said. "You could put a new liv- ing space on the lower level or you could put a wing on the other end of the house," Thistle said. While lots that lend themselves to ranches with exposed basements are pop- ular, they're harder to find, he said. A trend in "empty-nest" homes is to have finished basements with a kitch- enette and full bathroom, whether it's for older kids or guests, making the floor plan basically multigenera- tional, Thistle also said. Those homes are often ranch homes, he added. O'Brien said the use of rooms in a multigenera- tional home can change over time as the homeown- ers age, but a first-floor suite is a "top priority" when planning one. "The suite can also serve as a convenient office, den or guest room. If the bath's design includes two doors (the second from an adja- cent common area), it can double as a guest bath," O'Brien said. Thistle said buyers interested in multigenera- tional homes are often in their 50s with parents in their 80s. "It tends to be middle- age families with older kids or they have an older par- ent moving in with them or are planning for that," he said. Added features Beyond the double suites and easy entry, there are simple designs, including lower counters in one area, that can aid people with mobility issues. Some of the features, such as lever door handles that make it easier for arthritic adults, are com- monplace in new homes. "We offer lever handles as standard, but we don't know if that's because peo- ple need it or just like it. It goes into a lot of houses," Thistle said. As O'Brien said, they're handy for everyone. While hard-surface floors are popular for many reasons, a side benefit is improved mobility for peo- ple with walkers or wheel- chairs. Thistle said he hasn't noticed an increase in requests for non-slip floors in bathrooms, but they're an easy feature to install in a new home. "I built two houses last year that were completely handicapped accessible," Thistle said. "Consideration is given to plumbing fixtures and the shower layout, and we're relocating valves and those kind of things." continued from Page 14 Multigenerational: Homes with ability to adapt to changing lifestyles Halen Homes LLC A second master suite is the No. 1 expectation in new home customers seeking a home for three gen- erations or anticipating on staying put in their senior years, Scott Thistle of Halen Homes LLC said. Features that Tim O'Brien of Tim O'Brien Homes Inc. described as multigenerational: ■ An easy entry. Your builder can create a "zero step" entry by gently slop- ing a landscaped walkway from the driveway to an exterior door. It's an attractive alternative to a wheelchair ramp, and — if well-designed — will look like a convenience, not an accessibility requirement. ■ A first-floor master suite. This belongs at the top of the priority list. The suite's bath needs a shower with a tile floor that's flush with the bath- room floor, so that users don't have to step over a curb to get in and out. As for grab bars, the big plumbing manufactur- ers now offer models with looks that match specific fixture lines, so they blend in seamlessly. ■ 36-inch doorways. In many homes, the only wide doorway is the main entry, but a true multigen- erational home will have wide doors throughout so that a walker or wheel- chair user can reach every room. As an added advan- tage, wide doors make it possible to move large pieces of furniture that might not fit in a room with a 30-inch opening. ■ Lever door handles. Levers benefit older peo- ple with arthritic fingers, but they will also be appreciated by anyone who needs to get into the house while carrying an armful of groceries. ■ Visual contrast. Besides making life easier for someone with poor vision, good lighting and strong color contrast between wall and floor surfaces make for a more interesting space. The interior designer can arrange these contrasting elements to evoke nearly any mood, from joyful and energetic to subdued and serene. ■ Smooth, non-slip flooring. Eliminating car- pet makes it easier for someone with a wheel- chair or walker to get around, but it also helps keep dust and other indoor pollutants out of the air. Non-slip tile reduces anyone's chance of slip- ping in the shower. Features for homes designed for three generations (or more) Dementia Crisis Innovation grants awarded to seven counties, including Milwaukee SENIORS MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced it has awarded nearly $400,000 in grants to seven counties to work collabora- tively with local partners to increase the dementia capa- bility of their crisis response systems. This is the second round of Dementia Crisis Innovation Grants to help counties develop community-based- strategies to improve crisis planning, response and sta- bilization for people with dementia. The Round Two Dementia Crisis Innovation grant recipients include: ■ Brown County — $60,000 ■ Dane County— $48,804 ■ Dodge County — $67,431 ■ La Crosse County — $62,685 ■ Milwaukee County — $67,431 ■ Polk County — $30,243 ■ Waukesha County — $58,500 The Round Two grants are for the period July 1 through Dec. 31, 2018. In 2015, it was estimated that 115,000 Wisconsin resi- dents had Alzheimer's dis- ease or other dementia.