Shawn Robertson lived with three generations of his family as his parents’ health declined. He says multigenerational living has pros and cons.
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ShawnRobertson(notpictured)livedwiththreegenerationsofhisfamilyformanyyears.skynesher/GettyImages
ShawnRobertson’sparentslivedwithhim,hiswife,andtheirkidsformanyyears.Hesaystherewereplentyofbenefitstolivingtogether,thoughtherewerechallenges,too.Therewasn’tmuchprivacy,buthisparentsgottospendtimewiththeirgrandkids.Thisas-told-toessayisbasedonaconversationwithShawnRobertson,a55-year-oldfromTsawwassen,BritishColumbia.Ithasbeeneditedforlengthandclarity.
Whenmyfolkswerestillalive,theylivedwithusformanyyears.Multigenerationallivinghadmanyperks,butitalsohadchallenges.
IgrewupinTsawwassen,BritishColumbia,andlivedinthesamehousemyentirelife.AroundthetimemywifeCoriandIgotengaged,bothofmyparentsstartedexperiencinghealthissues.
Theytoldustheywouldhavetosellthehouseandmoveintoagraduatedcarefacilityforolderpeople,butCoriandIagreedtheyshouldstayinthehousefor
