- Which spaces are shared? Which are private?
- Will the family member moving in pay rent, buy groceries, or contribute financially to the
household? - Will new move-ins need access to a vehicle?
- How will household chores be divided, including laundry, shopping, and food preparation?
- Do we need house rules including quiet hours or curfews?
- What is each family member hoping to gain from the new situation?
2. Check-in regularly: Checking in regularly with your adult child or senior parent gives each person in the household a chance to voice their thoughts. Make plans to meet together to discuss what is and is not working. Likely, you will need to check in more at the beginning of the transition, and then less often as initial kinks get smoothed out. For example, you might want to meet together after a couple of days, then a week, then after two weeks until you are ready to only check in once a month.
3. Come up with an end game: If living together is not a permanent solution, work together to make an “exit plan” that everyone in the home understands. Plans change and you may decide to live together for more or less time, but having a blueprint gives everybody an idea of what to expect. In situations where aging parents move in with their adult children, it is helpful to decide what will happen if the arrangement does not work. Having a backup plan can preserve relationships when difficult circumstances arise. Whether you are taking care of an older parent, moving into your child’s home, or sheltering your adult children, these strategies can help you navigate your multi-generational living with added success. The number of parents and adult children choosing to live under one roof is on the rise. Multigenerational living comes with many benefits for families, but also can create some challenges.
Arati Hammond is a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist and Seniors Real Estate Specialist at Keller Williams Realty. You can reach Arati Hammond at 772-342-5599 or
