A Pioneering Doctor Tries to Give Older Adults Their Independence Back

Dr. Bill Thomas is seeking to restore a sense of independence to seniors while relieving them of the burden of maintaining bigger homes, reports STAT . Thomas' Minka initiative is a simple 330-square-foot, plywood-boned home through which the physician hopes to change the senior housing model. The warm, light, and roomy residence features oversize windows, a shed-style roof, a bathroom compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, a full-size bed, and an Ikea-furnished kitchen and countertop. On the Minka's ceiling is a detachable mechanical lift to help people get out of bed and move more safely around the bathroom. The small size of the structure makes heating and cooling clean and inexpensive. Thomas mainly plans to build Minkas in clusters, which provide built-in community and offer economies of scale to builders. In some instances, they could be built on a homeowner's existing property, although that could involve the headache and cost of a local zoning board appeal for many aspiring residents. Tioga County, N.Y., official LeeAnn Tinney says Minkas are better suited to retirees than people with children. A Minka costs about $200 per square foot to build, and Thomas intends to refine the manufacturing process to get the cost down to $150 per square foot to attract local homebuilders to either purchase prebuilt Minka kits or customized CNC machines to fabricate their own. In keeping with his vision of sustaining senior independence, Thomas plans to add ancillary services and technologies to encourage social engagement, healthy eating, and physical activity.