Piikani Nation elder loving the privacy of her very own home
An elder living on a southern Alberta reserve is loving the privacy of owning her first home, even though she's getting lots of visits from family.
"My privacy. I like my space by myself, although I get a lot of family company. They are always there," says Joyce Little Moustache of the Piikani Nation, east of Pincher Creek.
"I like to live with my children, but to a certain point, I'd rather have my own privacy and not depend upon them," she told The Homestretch on Wednesday.
She recently moved into her new tiny home, part of a pilot project to address First Nation housing shortages. The move came after living in a nearby senior's home that was not ideal for visits from her grandson.
"He's my bundle of joy. He's 14 years old and he's a hockey player. I don't like telling them to be quiet. You can't tell kids to be quiet," Little Moustache said with a laugh.
The 300 square-foot, one-bedroom home was built with a $250,000 grant from Indigenous Services Canada and the labour of a dozen high school students supervised by Saskatchewan-based Your Choice Homes Inc.
"It's pretty roomy, the bedroom is big. I have a little bit more space than the other places I have been at," Little Moustache said.
Being a homeowner wasn't front of mind for the elder.
"I went to pay my rent and they asked if I wanted this house. I said yes. It was kind of scary. I just said yes. I didn't even think about. They told me they needed an answer right then and there," she said.
"You work hard and you never think of these things. I never thought I would own a house," Little Moustache said.
And the next step is dealing with all her stuff in the home, keeping it at a reasonable level.
"I have to do a lot of de-cluttering. I do a lot of crafts."
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With files from The Homestretch
