Patrick Chastenet built a small wooden studio in his garden to accommodate his aging father and prevent him from going to a retirement home.
With his 83-year-old father and his wife, Marie-Laure, Patrick Chastenet lives in France. The elderly man didn’t want to move into a nursing home when he was no longer able to live on his own.
In addition, living in these specialized facilities can be very expensive, as Patrick would have had to pay 2,000 euros per month to house his father in a retirement home.
He didn’t want to return to an apartment or retirement home. We had to find an alternative because the house was not designed to accommodate so many people, as Marie-Laure Chastenet explained.
After that, Patrick and Marie-Laure made the decision to make an investment in a small wooden studio that they would put in their garden. They spent 37,000 euros total on this chalet’s construction.
The 15-square-meter wooden studio has a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. For Patrick’s father’s comfort, a wheelchair-accessible interior has been designed into the chalet, which has been specially furnished.
The sterile offices are likewise reasonable for the old or individuals with decreased portability.
The elderly man is able to keep his independence and autonomy while remaining close to his family thanks to this adapted accommodation. He is both with us and at home.
Patrick Chastenet confided, “He has his independence, but if there is a problem, there is only 5 meters to go to see him.”
Today, a growing number of people decide to construct a garden studio next to their home to host friends, accommodate the elderly, or establish an office.
This alternative contributes to strengthening family ties in addition to avoiding the cost of a retirement home.
Patrick’s father previously lived several hundred kilometers away from his son in this garden studio. Today he can invest more energy with his family and partake in his grandkids.