SENIOR PROJECT; Live-in experiment gives Realtor Kathy Bryant first- hand knowledge on the state of senior housing

Kathy Bryant, Spokane real estate broker, grew up an Army brat;she attended 13 schools by the eighth grade.

Bryant, 55, believes it's no accident she ended up in realestate. Homes represent stability and security.

She knows how hard it can be for older folks to "unroot" from ahome where they've dwelled for decades.

So for one week each month this year, Bryant will unroot from herSouth Side condo and live in 12 different retirement communities.

"In the end, of course, I hope this helps my business," saidBryant, who has sold real estate for eight years through KellerWilliams Realty.

"But I also really believe there are so many people out theresitting frozen in their homes they've had for 40 years, and they areafraid to do anything. So they do nothing until it has to be donefor them."

THE IDEA

About five years ago, Bryant's mom was living in a good apartment- as long as her mother stayed indoors.

"It had an outside entrance, concrete steps," Bryant said. "Hergarage and laundry were downstairs."

Bryant talked her mom into considering a move to a more user-friendly place. Together, they toured about 10 apartments. Her momhated every one of them.

"And my mom is not a hateful person," Bryant pointed out.

"Finally I got to the point where I said, 'Just forget it, mom.You're on your own. You'll find a place when you accept it's reallytime to move.'

"I thought, 'I can't believe I was like that to my sweet mother.I see that it's time for her to move. But she doesn't think it is.'"

Bryant realized that the dynamic with her mother was playing outin families throughout the United States.

"As much as my mom wanted my help, she wanted to do it on her ownterms," Bryant realized. "That's why my philosophy is: 'Your move,your terms.'"

When older clients seek Bryant's help selling their family homes,they often ask her to recommend a retirement community. To better doso, she came up with the idea to live in 12 retirement communitiesin 2011.

First stop: Moran Vista Senior Living, 3319 E. 57th Ave. onSpokane's south side.

THE LIVE-IN EXPERIENCE

On Monday, Jan. 24, Bryant, along with her golden retriever,Willie, moved into a one-bedroom apartment at Moran Vista.

She dwelled in the independent living section of Moran Vista,though the community also offers assisted living and Alzheimer's/dementia care units.

Bryant will live rent-free in each of the dozen retirementcommunities.

"They're not paying me, and I'm not paying them," she said.

Bryant will move into independent living units in communities onSpokane's south and north sides, in Spokane Valley and in Coeurd'Alene. She'll live in pricey developments and in less expensiveones.

The cost of living in an independent unit at Moran Vista rangesfrom $1,595 a month for a studio apartment to $3,095 for a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment with a balcony. Three meals a day areincluded, as well as utilities, cable TV, weekly housekeeping andsocial activities.

Bryant set up her computer and a video camera. She had taughtherself (with help from a colleague) how to blog and videotape herthoughts on her blog, www.kathythroughthelookingglass.com.

She worked at her real estate business during her Moran Vistastay, but she ate most of her meals there, took quilting and writingclasses, played bingo, did Wii bowling and got her hair done.

She checked out the library, the billiards room, the theater roomand the Internet cafe.

At mealtimes, Moran Vista residents sit with their establishedtable mates. People new to the community are given spots atestablished tables to integrate into the community. Residents orderoff menus.

Bryant circulated among several tables. Most of the residents shemet were in their 80s and 90s; most were women.

Bryant's day-three blog entry read: "Today I was lucky enough tosit with three amazing women. One is a self-published author who hasstarted a writing group in the community. She is 91 and bright andarticulate.

"Another lady teaches bridge and told me about a fun date she hadyesterday with a gentleman caller. She is 93.

"The final lady was a young 81 and a retired nurse."

In these table conversations, some residents told Bryant they'dwished they moved in sooner.

"They held onto their homes and were consumed by the things intheir house and in the end, all that stuff didn't matter," she said.

Bryant said the thought of getting rid of decades of stuffcollected in basements often paralyzes older folks, as does fear ofchange.

Some residents, however, admitted missing their lifelong homes.

"Part of their life is gone, and there's still abittersweetness," Bryant said.

THE NEXT STOP

Bryant ended the first week of her live-in experience at a wineand cheese party in Moran Vista's activity room.

She invited her mother, now 83. After the failed search fiveyears ago together, Bryant's mother eventually did find anotherapartment and later moved in with Bryant's sister.

But she's in transition again. Bryant's hoping her mother willchoose independent living.

Bryant isn't pushing this time, though. The week at Moran Vistareinforced her "your move, your terms" philosophy.

She said: "When the senior has done the research and made thechoice, the transition is always better."

Bryant's next live-in experience will be at Good Samaritanretirement community in Spokane Valley. She'll move in Feb. 21.

"I'm excited about it," she said. "I've missed somebody elsedoing the dishes!"

2

1) SENIOR HOUSING HISTORY

The past: Older family members were cared for in family homesinto the middle of the 20th century. Nursing homes were oftenregarded as shameful warehouses for the infirm and demented.

The present: In the mid-1970s, the "continuing care retirementcommunity" trend took off. Seniors "aged in place," addingassistance as needed. Between 1990 and the mid-2000s, 10 to 20 newcommunities were built each year in the United States. The pooreconomy has slowed the trend.

The future: Cohousing - in which older adults have their ownbedroom and bathroom but share common space and chores with chosenhousemates - is predicted to be popular with aging baby boomers.About 115 cohousing communities exist. Washington state has 13 ofthem, second only to California.

Sources: AARP, American Seniors Housing Association

2) THE BIG MOVE

Spokane author Gail Goeller published a senior resource directoryfor years. She offers this advice for older adults contemplating aretirement community move:

Plan early. Discussions of where you wish to live in your 80s and90s should begin in your 50s and 60s. "We have to have visions ofwhat the next step will be," Goeller says.

Ask questions. While visiting a community, ask residents: "Whatdo you wish you'd asked before you moved in?"

Check out the financial health of the community. This isespecially important for those that require pricey buy-ins.

Check out its safety record. Long-term care ombudsmen offices inWashington and Idaho are good sources for information about afacility's safety record.

Read the fine print. What's included in your purchase or rental?How much does it cost to add services?

Try a tryout. Many communities offer a trial period of a week ormore.

Retirement community living is not for everyone. Those who choosethe place freely, rather than have it be chosen for them in a crisisby their grown children, adjust best.

Grieve. Giving up a family home is huge. "You have to say goodbyebefore you say hello," Goeller says.