A Brief But Spectacular take on multigenerational housing

Older adults will soon outnumber children on a global scale. Bridge Meadows is an innovative multigenerational housing community in Oregon that fosters healing and connection for foster youth, their families and elders. Three generations of Bridge Meadows residents give their Brief But Spectacular takes on how living in this vibrant community has transformed their lives for the better.
Amna Nawaz:
Older adults will soon outnumber children on a global scale. So in a new series, our Brief But Spectacular team is exploring our evolving beliefs about age.
Tonight, we bring you the story of Bridge Meadows, an innovative multigenerational housing community in Oregon that builds connections between foster youth, their families and elders.
Here now are three generations of Bridge Meadows residents on how living in this vibrant community has transformed their lives for the best.
Brian Parker, Oregon Resident:
When they told us about this place, literally, we were both kind of looking at each other like, is that real?
Grandma Kathy, Oregon Resident:
I have been living here in Bridge Meadows for seven years.
Child:
Grandma Kathy (ph) takes care of me and my brother when my parents are away.
Grandma Kathy:
I still remember the first time they called me Grandma Kathy.
Bridge Meadows is an intergenerational living space where we have Children that have come out of foster homes and then we have elders. My husband had just passed away in 2016. We didn’t have the income. And so I had signed up for low-income housing.
They told me about Bridge Meadows. Bridge Meadows gave me the opportunity to come into other people’s lives.
Josie Parker, Oregon Resident:
We’re all set up here in a little semicircle.
Brian Parker:
When we got married, we initially were very clear with each other. We wanted to be parents. Of course, we ran into issues, fertility stuff and that kind of thing.
Josie Parker:
And then I was like, hey, we got an extra room. We got space. We are a good couple and we have love to give and this community needs us.
Brian Parker:
At this point, we have fostered 14 kids in total over the course of a number of years and adopted two.
Child:
My name is Victor (ph), and I’m 9 years old. This is my (INAUDIBLE)
Child:
My name is Kale (ph). I’m going into second grade.
Brian Parker:
When you’re in the mix, when you’re being a foster parent and doing all the day-to-day stuff, you don’t always have the supports.
Grandma Kathy is a member of our community that we met early on after moving here.
Grandma Kathy:
Victor was this little guy just running around, just full of energy. I was holding him and he was a baby at the time. I just looked into his eyes and I just fell in love with him.
Josie Parker:
She helps us when we need, like, a little break.
Brian Parker:
She is the biggest-hearted person that you can imagine.
Grandma Kathy:
Part of the design is for me to provide support for other families.
Brian Parker:
The intentionality of the place means that there’s always that understanding that we’re all here to connect with each other. If ever you need that connection, it’s there for you. Our elder neighbors are dealing with elder issues.
We have a community support specialist that their specific focus is to make sure that the elders in our community are being as well-served as the families and the Children. So that means, if they maybe to ride to a doctor visit, that that can be provided for them.
Grandma Kathy:
Well, I have eight of my own grandChildren, and I’m so far away from them that I don’t get to see them. And these little boys, they are just so special, and I’m just proud to be their grandma.
Brian Parker:
It’s been transformative for our kids.
My name is Brian Parker (ph).
My name is Josie Parker (ph). And this is our Brief But Spectacular take…
Josie Parker:
On family.
Amna Nawaz:
And you can watch all of the stories in our Brief But Spectacular series on aging online at PBS.org/NewsHour.