Annette Dooley, close to her eightieth birthday, is an independent inhabitant of a four-bedroom house situated in Carlow. She leads a healthy, agile lifestyle involved in her domestic chores such as regular hoovering, dusting, and the laundering of drapes, not to mention her gardening duties. Furthermore, she is responsible for cleaning her interior windows approximately every six weeks. Although Annette acknowledges her fortunate state of health which enables her to sustain this lifestyle, she has, on occasion, contemplated a shift to a less demanding residence.
Her partner, Tony, passed away when Annette was in her seventieth year. His loss prompted serious thought about a move to a compact dwelling, such as a bungalow, which would cater more appropriately to her impending requirements. However, the reality of this transition was more complex than it initially seemed. While her friends had relocated to a mini residential project elsewhere in the county, a settlement intended for the elderly featuring modest houses, shared facilities and a communal centre, Annette herself found she wasn’t eligible for such accommodation. The prospect of purchasing a pre-loved property to revamp was declared “simply unworkable”.
There has been an ongoing suggestion that downsizing, or “right-sizing” as it has also been termed, could help alleviate some of the pressure of the housing shortage. This topic was brought to the forefront recently when a report released by the Economic and Social Research Institute, an advisory body, indicated that more than 88 per cent of individuals aged 65 and over inhabited under-utilised homes. A valid argument is that a rise in right-sizing could avail more homes to younger families, whilst the elderly could transition to smaller, more appropriate homesteads.
However, the concept is not as simple as it seems. Edward Doyle, a regional development official for Active Retirement, resides near Straffan in northwest Kildare with his wife Bernadette. At 75, Edward has deliberated about what should happen if their present home becomes unsuitable for their needs.
“I’m at an age now where I have this house complete with a large garden. I have numerous hedges that need trimming and I might not be physically capable of this task in a few years,” he suggested. He envisages, in years to come, whether due to aging or an unforeseen incident, relocating to a smaller, low-maintenance residence, preferably a bungalow.
The speaker noted that one of the substantial obstacles to downsizing is the lack of construction of smaller bungalows, which would ideally suit many individuals in his circumstances. Furthermore, acquiring a home in or near the community he’s accustomed to can be costly. For instance, homes in Naas nearly match the steep prices in the more affluent districts of southern Dublin.
It could be more financially feasible to relocate to more reasonably priced areas of Kildare, like Newbridge. However, such a move would distance Edward and Bernadette from the community they have spent a significant part of their lives in.
Surprisingly, this situation is not unique, indicating the intricacy of downsizing, stated Nat O’Connor, a public affairs and policy expert at Age Action, an organisation advocating for the elderly.
O’Connor highlighted that numerous factors have been overlooked due to the 88 per cent concentration on under-occupied homes. These aspects involve significant shifts in demographics and the impact on the country’s housing structure, an excess of single housing rather than large flats, and an Irish cultural inclination towards home ownership. In Ireland, housing is viewed as an asset and a wealth reserve to a greater extent than other nations.
He further specified that ageing in their homes and communities, close to their social circle, doctors and pharmacists is a priority for the elderly. This is a crucial aspect of being part of a community, and it’s only natural for people to want to stay put.
The transition isn’t simply about selling a larger house and purchasing a smaller, less expensive one. The current market makes house hunting challenging, and an elderly individual may require temporary financing to bridge the gap between the sale of the old house and the acquisition of a new one.
Furthermore, the importance of a family home as a central point for various generations can’t be underestimated—it could mean keeping a spare room for their children, grandchildren, or friends, suggesting that a couple may need more space than just their bedroom.
Contrary to popular belief, an unused room does not equate to wasted space, asserted O’Connor. A bedroom on the lower floor could be frequently occupied by a partner dealing with mobility challenges or sleep disorders or serve as a home office.
“Claims that there are immediate solutions to the housing shortage are misleading. In reality, no such quick fixes exist,” O’Connor emphasised.
He further explained that the concept of mass downsizing as an answer to the housing predicament overlooks a multitude of structural issues.
Mairead Hickey, a 68-year-old woman with no retirement plans, currently residing in a house in Laois with her spouse, stands as an example of this. Given that only some of her offspring have moved out, her home can be deemed as under-occupied to some extent.
With her adult son still living with her due to the housing crisis that has rendered thousands of adults unaided in procuring affordable living arrangements, she discussed her worries about the notion of downsizing.
“Trading in our home for a smaller residence will not assist my son in his struggle to purchase his own home. If we sell our current property, we would eventually require two separate houses,” Hickey pointed out.
Hesitant to abandon the home she’s made countless memories in, Hickey shared her attachment to their long-time residence.
“We scrimped and saved for our own home, which now after years of raising children, finally resembles our dream house,” said Hickey.
Maintaining their established living standards or aspiring for even better ones is her preference, rather than settling for just any average or risky dwelling. She added, “I believe we have reached an age where we are deserving of this.”
The suggested notion of under-occupied houses irks her, and she compared it to people being accused of hogging beds in hospitals, which she views as an attempt to blame homeowners for the current housing crisis.
When it comes to Kelly’s viewpoint, the crux of the matter isn’t under-utilised homes, but rather a deficit in appropriate housing across the wider market. She argues that it is unfair to place the responsibility of rectifying this issue on the shoulders of older populations, especially since they didn’t create the problem in the first place.
Support for Kelly’s perspective is provided by a 2020 study by the Department of Housing. This analysis looked into the possibility of freeing up residences by implementing policies that encourage ‘mature homeowners’ aged 55 and over to downsize. The research indicated that this potential was rather large, as approximately 600,000 households with frequently unoccupied bedrooms belong to this demographic.
However, the paper also revealed resistance to the concept of downsizing among these homeowners, with most citing sentimental ties to their current home. It was also pointed out that most functional policy measures wouldn’t significantly change these preferences. The study estimated that just 15-20% of mature homeowners, translating to roughly 91,000-121,000 homes, could potentially be persuaded to downsize.
One crucial condition was attached to these findings: homeowners would only consider relocation if they were able to sell their current home and purchase a smaller, specially designed accommodation for elderly inhabitants in the same vicinity at a lower cost.
In essence, the most effective way to free up space in under-utilised homes is by constructing more properties. Despite this, the study observed a relatively small number who would consider relocating to a flat, a transition which for many is a step too far.
For Carlow resident, Annette Dooley, the fundamental issue is that successful downsizing is unachievable without providing suitable housing options. For her, this not only includes moving between communities but also transitioning from a house to a flat.
She adds that moving into a flat brings uncertain neighbors and the potential disruption they could cause in their own private space, reaffirming the importance of maintaining personal space.