I'm 72 and don't want to move to a retirement home. So I built a tiny home in my yard for a future live-in caretaker.

Jerry and Kathie Schwartz, both in their 70s, were facing challenges navigating their three-story home in Truckee, California. After watching friends and family members pass away, Kathie made a promise to herself that she would never put Jerry into a retirement home. This led them to explore downsizing their home and building a tiny house in the backyard for potential future use as a live-in caretaker's residence.

Initially, they considered retirement communities, but found the idea off-putting. They eventually moved into a smaller, single-story house in Petaluma, but still felt the need to address their aging concerns. Through inspiration from a friend's tiny home project, the Schwartzes hired Studio Home to build a 480-square-foot tiny house, which was completed in 2022.

The tiny home serves multiple purposes: as a guest house, a space for mahjong classes, and potentially for future live-in care. This decision has provided them with flexibility and additional value to their property while enabling them to age in place without the need for a retirement community.