蜜聊直播

When she was a young girl in Africa, escaping a civil war in the Republic of Congo and moving with her family to Gabon, Hevie Magoundi found peace and happiness braiding the hair of her Barbie doll.

She learned the art of African braiding from her older sister and was consumed by it 鈥� spending hours looking at her sister and learning techniques of the intricate designs. Some designs take up to six hours and can last three months while others can take two hours and last three weeks, said Magoundi, now a U.S. citizen.

鈥淚t all depends on the braid,鈥� she said of the social art that can be traced back 5,000 years in African culture. The braid could indicate a person鈥檚 tribe or religion, age, wealth and social or marital status.

The art has been passed down through the generations, and now Magoundi wants to share the art with customers at Hevie鈥檚 Beauty Supply & African Hair Braiding salon. Her newly opened business is in Frontier Village shopping center at 3917 E. Pima St.

The grand opening of Magoundi鈥檚 salon is scheduled Oct. 18, but meanwhile customers are making appointments to get their hair braided after learning of Magoundi through word-of-mouth and seeing photos of her work online.

Women and men, young and old, Black, white and Latino come to the shop and spend hours while Magoundi braids their hair into styles including weaves, cornrows, box braids, kinky twists, Senegalese twists, single braids, crochet braids and dreadlocks. On weekends, she receives help braiding from her sisters, Lydiane Pamboud and Lalone Magoundi, and friends Arista Ngandzien and Emanuella Kpetsi.

On a recent Saturday,聽gospel songs in French played in the salon while Magoundi secured one of many hair extensions on Ingabire Brenda鈥檚 natural hair and began forming the strands into box braids. Her and Ngandzien鈥檚 nimble fingers made the braiding look easy as both women took about five hours to complete the braids. Brenda said she liked her friend鈥檚 braids that were done by Magoundi, so she called for an appointment and became a client.

Magoundi also braided Yvonne Cadette鈥檚 hair into cornrows. It was her first time at the shop and she, too, was referred by a friend. Cadette broke out in smiles once Magoundi was finished with the hairstyle.

鈥淚 love braiding,鈥� said Magoundi, a 36-year-old businesswoman who is living her dream of founding and operating a braiding salon. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 get tired. I love making people look pretty.鈥� She is working on investing more capital into the salon so she can fill empty shelves with hair products to sell, and she eventually wants to open a braiding school. 鈥淭he art of braiding is very much alive, and I am here to help others learn,鈥� said Magoundi, who was employed as a health-care worker and put money in savings for years before she opened her shop.

Also on this Saturday, Pamboud, Magoundi鈥檚 eldest sister, was styling box braids on Cheryl Redwine, a nurse at a rehabilitation facility who moved from Detroit to Tucson a month ago for the job. Younger sister Lalone Magoundi, a gospel singer who sings in French and Lingala, a language of Central Africa, was also helping braid Redwine鈥檚 hair.

鈥淢y dad used to have a lot of hair. He would comb it and let me braid it,鈥� said Pamboud who was age 7 at the time. 鈥淭hat is how I learned to braid. Thank you daddy,鈥� said Pamboud, 43. 鈥淚 braided his hair for years, and then I braided my family鈥檚 hair,鈥� she said, including her parents, three sisters and two brothers.

Pamboud passed on her talents to her sisters. 鈥淚t is a gift. I know people go to school to learn braiding, but I was self-taught,鈥� Pamboud said, explaining that her sisters also learned much on their own and all come up with styles and designs. Over the years they all have continued braiding, which has helped them with finances. Magoundi also worked braiding hair in a salon that a sister operated for 10 years in Bridgeport, Connecticut. That sister remains living in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Magoundi explained that she and her family escaped the civil war in Congo in the 1990s after her father, who worked for a transportation company, was targeted because he was a supporter of then-President Pascal Lissouba of the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy. Militias formed because members were dissatisfied with the 1992 general election and formed alliances against Lissouba.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 remember too much. But I do remember one day there were shootings in our neighborhood, and there was blood and people died. We ran from our neighborhood. Thank God we got out,鈥� said Magoundi. At the time she was 12 years old, and the family fled as refugees to Gabon where they lived until 2005 before resettling in the historic seaport city of Bridgeport through the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants.

At age 20 arriving in Bridgeport, Magoundi and the family struggled to fit into their new way of life. 鈥淚t was very difficult in the beginning. We didn鈥檛 know how to speak English. People who spoke French (the family鈥檚 primary language) translated for us, and helped us find jobs and go to English classes,鈥� she said of social services and programs offered by the institute for refugees and immigrants.

The family lived in a one-bedroom apartment and her younger siblings enrolled in school and the adults enrolled in English classes. Her parents found work in a warehouse at a socks factory, and Magoundi was employed in housekeeping at a hotel. She went on to a community college and enrolled in math and English classes before studying medical coding and billing at a career training institute. She did not find a job at clinics or hospitals, so she applied at an agency as a caregiver and worked with disabled clients.

After two years, the family was able to rent a five-bedroom house, and Magoundi and her other sisters continued doing African braiding when not working at their full-time jobs.

In 2016 the harsh weather in Connecticut brought Magoundi, along with her parents and then later a sister to Tucson. They followed their older sister, Pamboud, and her family who moved here after visiting a relative. Tucson鈥檚 warm weather and cost of living compared to Connecticut was a godsend.

In Tucson, Magoundi continued working as a caregiver and saved money that she invested into the salon. 鈥淭his is a dream come true to have my own small business and help others learn African braiding,鈥� she said.

After living a lifetime of conflict in Afghanistan, and fleeing as a refugee with his family to Iran in 1986, Mohammad Barbari is now living a life of peace.

It is peace and happiness that fills the 85-year-old man鈥檚 heart. He is living a dream in a five-bedroom house the family is buying in a new subdivision in Oro Valley. He smiles as he looks at lush desert and nearby mountains.

鈥淭hank you, America. My family is in a good community and a good and safe country,鈥� said Barbari in Dari. 鈥淚 am so happy to be here, and I am proud of my daughters for their hard work that has led to this house and life.鈥� The family plans to apply for citizenship in November.

Barbari and four daughters arrived in Tucson in 2017, resettling here through Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, a Tucson refugee resettlement program that is expected to receive 25 Afghans this month. It will be the first wave of Afghan refugees in the city since the U.S. completed its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in August, ending a 20-year war. The Taliban took over the country in days.

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest and International Rescue Committee, the only other local refugee resettlement program at this time, have told authorities that both programs combined can receive up to 500 Afghan refugees in Tucson. It is unknown how many will be sent here.

In an earlier interview, Connie Phillips, president and chief executive officer of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, said refugee resettlement programs used to work with 95,000 refugees a year across the country, but the numbers were lowered, and last year the official cap was set at 18,000; however, the U.S. welcomed fewer than 12,000 people. Over the years, resettlement programs disbanded. Now, the government is working on relationships with housing, employers, school districts and congregations to reactivate all of the systems to work with this latest influx of Afghan refugees.

Once the refugees are relocated in the United States, 6,000 to 10,000 people per week are expected to be taken across the country to resettlement programs in various states, and 54,000 are expected to be resettled.

For the incoming Afghan refugees to Tucson, Barbari鈥檚 message is: 鈥淵ou can have a nice life here. Follow the laws. America is a good and safe place for you and your children.鈥�

The Barbari family has struggled and experienced a long, horrendous journey to make it here. It began 35 years ago when they fled from their homeland of Daykundi in Central Afghanistan with a caravan of other families fearing violence by Soviet forces and Islamic militant factions. The families trekked for weeks with little food and water to reach Iran. They rested for days in Pakistan and bought more food and water to continue their journey. The thirst and hunger were the worst, but the water and dried fruit and bread had to stretch until they reached their final destination, which was over 1,600 miles from Daykundi, said Marzieh Barbari, who has heard the stories.

In Daykundi, Mohammad Barbari and his wife, Sakina, who has since died, worked for a landowner as farmers growing vegetables and wheat, and raising sheep and cows to support their then six children. They left all their belongings behind and walked, carrying a newborn and a 1-year-old who suffered from scoliosis back pain. At night, it was common to fall down because of the uneven roads with holes, and in one instance the newborn ended up in a hole when her mother fell. All searched for the uninjured baby, who was Marzieh.

After arriving in Tehran, the family received help from an Afghan family who was settled there, and eventually the Barbari family moved into a one-bedroom apartment. It was difficult for refugees to get work permits, a phone, a driver鈥檚 license or a house. Mohammad and his wife found jobs as farmers, and their children eventually went to school and also did farm work as they grew older. Years later, daughter Soghra Barbari went to work as a photographer and a videographer and sold cameras for a company, and Marzieh worked as a seamstress in a factory and also as a pharmacy technician. They managed to eke out a living.

The sisters recalled their mother鈥檚 death 20 years ago.

鈥淪he was vomiting blood for two nights, and she died in a hospital in Iran. The doctor never told us what happened, or why she died. He dismissed us,鈥� said Marzieh. 鈥淪he is buried in a cemetery in Iran. Maybe the doctor dismissed us because we were refugees. Refugees are not treated well,鈥� said Marzieh.

According to a report by Oxfam International, which is a charitable organization focused on alleviating global poverty, between 1978 to 2009, millions of Afghans were killed and millions were forced to flee to Iran and Pakistan because of war and conflicts that caused death, destruction of property and sank the country鈥檚 economy.

Among those refugees were the Barbari family, who desired basic human rights and services such as education and health care in Iran.

鈥淚ran wasn鈥檛 safe for refugees. It was so hard to live,鈥� said Marzieh.

It took Mohammad Barbari and most of his family 鈥� all refugees in Tehran 鈥� 14 years with the help of the United Nations to meet officials in the U.S. Embassy in Romania to get processed to come to the United States under the refugee resettlement program. Two daughters and a son of Barbari鈥檚 remain in Iran with their families because they were denied approval by Iranian officials to travel to Romania for processing to the United States, said Marzieh. The family also has relatives living in Afghanistan.

When the family arrived in Tucson four years ago, they lived in a two-bedroom apartment in midtown.

鈥淲e were very happy and comfortable,鈥� said Soghra, explaining all enrolled in English classes and looked for work with the help of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. They also made close friends at St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church in Green Valley where the congregation prayed for the family, welcomed them into the community, continue visiting and showing them Tucson.

鈥淚n this country, you can make a good life by working hard and having skills. You have a chance to buy a home and car and make a life,鈥� said Soghra, who currently works at a local hospital. She puts in long hours and works overtime covering other shifts when needed. She also is enrolled in phlebotomy classes at Pima Community College鈥檚 Desert Vista Campus.

Marzieh works as a caregiver and has a second job as a seamstress at a bridal shop. She, too, puts in long hours and earns overtime. One day, she hopes to own a clothing alteration shop, and study pharmacy.

鈥淲e are alive,鈥� said Marzieh, explaining that undergoing decades of hardships and persevering made them stronger. 鈥淲e are here in America and are safe and happy.鈥�

On April 10, 2018, Clarissa Torres' life changed forever.

She was at a ball game at Salpointe Catholic High School with her older son when she received a call from her brother-in-law.

There was a crash on South Mission Road at West Irvington Place, and her baby boy, Gabriel, was thrown from the vehicle. So was her husband, who was driving. A teen-age boy driving on Mission T-boned her husband's vehicle,聽authorities said.

Torres left the game and happened to follow an ambulance on North Mountain Avenue that was carrying 7-month-old Gabriel to emergency at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson. The mother saw and followed her son who was surrounded by medical personnel working to revive him. She begged that they continue but more than 20 minutes had passed, and the baby did not respond. Gabriel Torres was pronounced dead.

The mother was allowed to stay holding her baby in a private pediatric room where she remained for hours until early the next morning.

The years of tears, anger, pain and depression have subsided. However, Torres still has her moments. The bad moments of losing baby Gabriel come when she least expects it. It can be triggered by a sound or an image.

Tribute to son

She wants to honor Gabriel's memory by giving back to children in need.

"I want to let kids know that they are loved. I lost my son, but he is helping so many other kids," said Torres of the annual toy drive she founded in her son's honor. "I can't see my son smile, laugh and be happy, but I can see other children smile."

Baby Gabriel loved to play with toys. Nine businesses in the Tucson area participate in the toy drive and accept a box for donations. (See attached info box.)

She then searched for the perfect organization to receive the toys and monetary donations given by businesses and the community. Torres drops off the toys every year on Aug. 25 鈥� Gabriel's birthday 鈥� at Aviva Children's Services, 153 S. Plumer Ave. Gabriel would have turned 4 years old this year.

The nonprofit Aviva, which is a subsidiary of Easterseals Blake Foundation, provides services to children in foster care, children who are neglected or abused and those in the care of the state's Department of Child Safety.

"Gabriel's memory is serving Southern 蜜聊直播 children in foster care and their families," said Yvette Hart, coordinator of visitation outreach at Aviva. "We are so grateful that this family continues to think of us and the children that we serve," said Hart about聽Torres and her relatives and friends who have dropped off hundreds of toys, and nearly $1,000 in donations over the years.

The board games, trucks, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, shoes and clothing go to children in need not only in Pima County, but also Santa Cruz, Cochise and Yuma counties, said Hart. Most of the items are given to children at Christmas.

On Wednesday, Aviva staff sang "Happy Birthday" in memory of Gabriel at the agency's office and gave the Torres family blue balloons that were released outdoors.

Strength to continue

After the crash, Torres suffered depression.

"I didn't want to get out of bed. I cried all the time," she said. The mother said her two older children gave her strength. A daughter, 20, is a corrections officer at 蜜聊直播 State Prison Complex-Tucson on South Wilmot Road, and a son, 18, is attending 蜜聊直播 State University and plans on becoming a physician.

"They were my motivation to get up and shower and leave my house," said Torres. "Then I found out I was pregnant with my daughter four months later," she said of her now 2-year-old girl who brings more light into Torres' life. She said the pregnancy "forced me to find my will to live because I couldn't go through losing another child."

Torres eventually left her job as an administrative assistant in the pathology department at Banner-UMC.

"I had to quit my job after 12 years. I couldn't work where my baby died," she said. More than a year later, she went back to work at an eye care and surgery center.

She found solace undergoing counseling and joining a Facebook group of other grieving parents who lost children.

"You don't get out of depression. You can't get over losing a child. You don't just move on. You just continue getting up every day and do what you have to do for your other children," she explained.

"Depression hits you when you don't even know," Torres said. "You get a gulp in your throat. You hear a siren, and you think of your son. You see an ambulance and you think of your son."

Torres, who is going through a divorce, said her husband had never picked up baby Gabriel from the babysitter before that deadly day. He pled guilty to child endangerment for not properly buckling baby Gabriel in the car seat, and for driving under the influence of marijuana. He received probation. The case regarding the teen driver of the vehicle that collided with the vehicle Gabriel was in remains under litigation.聽

Gabriel lives on

"Even though my son lived a short time, my son lived. And he will continue to live through other kids. He will never be forgotten," said Torres. She admits she still questions God about her son's death. She admits the first time she returned to church after the crash, she walked out during the sermon when the preacher talked about children not belonging to those on earth, rather the children belong to God.

"I couldn't listen 鈥� but then I thought about it, and I realized I am blessed. I am blessed I had Gabriel for seven months. I am blessed I was his mother," she said.

"The only answer I can think of to why Gabriel died is that he was too perfect for this world," Torres said. "God needed him for a bigger purpose."聽 聽 聽

Rudy Jimenez picks up the banjo and strums 鈥淢usic Box Dancer鈥� in an apartment at The Watermark at Continental Ranch, an assisted living community where he lives.

Jimenez, who will turn 95 on May 13, plays the song while his daughter, Tanya Meyer, enjoys the music sitting near her father during a recent visit to the northwest-side Marana senior community. Meyer mentions that her dad played for years with The 蜜聊直播 Banjo Blasters and the 蜜聊直播 Old Time Fiddlers.

The two, who both received their vaccinations for COVID-19, visit face-to-face without masks, and the daughter hugs her father in his apartment after a year of not being able to do so.

Meyer also can pick up her dad and take him to her home for visits. The family is planning a birthday celebration for Jimenez, but the festivities and the menu remain a surprise. There was a mention of steak and lobster 鈥� some favorite dishes 鈥� but Meyer only let out a smile, glancing at Jimenez who appeared to wait for confirmation about the food.

Life is slowly returning to somewhat normalcy since senior communities, assisted living and memory care, skilled nursing care 蜜聊直播, and independent living facilities begin opening up more since COVID-19 vaccinations are taking root. However, facilities continue following guidelines and protocols to protect their residents, considering that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported as of April 12 that three virus variants are in 蜜聊直播 and there are 162 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from these variants.

More than 2 million people or 28% of 蜜聊直播鈥檚 population has been fully vaccinated, and more than 3 million or 41% has received at least one dose, according to USAFacts. The 蜜聊直播 Department of Health Services reported the state鈥檚 pandemic totals are more than 866,000 cases and over 17,000 deaths. The daily increases remain far below the increases during the pandemic鈥檚 peak during the winter.

Guidelines still followed

Social distancing and masks are usually worn at senior communities when residents gather for activities in communal areas 鈥� even with the vaccinations. Personal protective equipment is worn by staff when warranted, and surface cleaning and deep cleaning in facilities continue. Temperatures and frequent rapid testing of residents and staff are common. The communities follow Pima County Health Department, 蜜聊直播 Department of Health Services and CDC guidelines.

鈥淚 support what the facility did,鈥� said Meyer, recalling last year鈥檚 shutdown of senior communities. Her father ate his meals alone in his apartment, and she visited with him by phone, or virtually. Then there were the days of talking to Jimenez through open doors while she stood outside and he some 20 feet away in the lobby.

鈥淗e has been healthy, and I have been healthy, but it is now wonderful that we can hug and be close to each other without wearing masks inside his apartment. It was a long time coming,鈥� she said of the close visits that began last month.

Jimenez, who joined the Navy at age 17 and served as a medic during World War II, is looking forward to his birthday celebration at his daughter鈥檚 home. Meyer planned the celebration with her three siblings. Jimenez is a native of Eureka, a small community in Illinois, and moved to Tucson in 1948 and married Vera Mae Rentschler a year later. His wife died 15 years ago.

When Jimenez came to Tucson, he continued his engineering studies at the University of 蜜聊直播, earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree and a master鈥檚 degree, and later a doctorate from Texas A&M University. He taught at the UA in the College of Engineering and was named a professor emeritus of civil and architectural engineering and mechanics.

The father and daughter are looking forward to activities at The Watermark at Continental Ranch, including happy hour gatherings such as Margarita Monday and on Friday comes wine with cheese and dips. Then there are movie nights, bowling, exercise classes, bingo, the walking club, crafts and trivia games.

Jimenez is among 65 residents 鈥� ages 72 to 100 鈥� at the assisted living facility that opened two years ago, said Gary Hughes, executive director. Vaccination clinics began at the facility in January, and 98% of residents and 70% of staff are vaccinated, said Hughes, explaining that the decision to receive the vaccine is left up to each person. Some choose not to receive the vaccine because of health concerns, and others believe not enough research has been done on the vaccines. Those not vaccinated must wear a mask, and testing is done every other week of all residents and staff, said Hughes.

鈥淧eople are so happy to see one another again and to visit with their families in their own apartments,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淚t means the world to the residents. It has lifted their spirits. Smiles are coming back to their faces. It has brought life back to the community.鈥�

Rich Howell, managing director of operations for Watermark Retirement Communities, said many of the residents have taught staff and administrators through this pandemic.

鈥淲e have learned there are times when you have to do things for the greater good, and they did that when they could not see their families. These are the people who have been through world wars and pandemics.鈥�

鈥榁ery lucky, very safe鈥�

At Tucson鈥檚 Fairmount Assisted Living and Memory Care, visits to the home have also increased, and the home is now accepting new residents who are fully vaccinated.

鈥淲e are a memory care home, so our residents were never left in their room to isolate. It is difficult to isolate patients with dementia,鈥� said Mattie Nason, owner of the facility. She said all staff and residents, except one woman in hospice, are vaccinated.

鈥淲e were very lucky and very safe, and I think our families were very safe,鈥� said Nason of the pandemic and what she, staff and families have learned about health and safety protocols, personal protection equipment, masks, social distancing and the cleaning of surfaces.

Residents are allowed to go home with their families for visits as long as they are not around large groups. When they return, relatives are questioned about the surroundings their loved one was in to make sure they were not exposed.

Recently a pianist was hired to play for 39 residents who are between 58 to 97 years old. Communal dining with social distancing and activities are back now in the assisted living home that has a shady courtyard with flowers, shrubs and trees. Residents sit outdoors with their families, usually up to three times a week, and enjoy the garden and also the baby chicks and bunnies.

At El Rancho Encanto Assisted Living, owner Pam Haskell has brought weekly jazz sessions and concerts back for all to enjoy. Her husband, Jeff Haskell, is a jazz artist who performs at the home. His selections range from popular and classical songs by composer George Gershwin to those by country and pop singer Kenny Rogers. Jeff Haskell was Linda Ronstadt鈥檚 vocal coach and conducted symphonies for Ronstadt while on tour. He also created arrangements for two of Ronstadt鈥檚 albums.

All the staff at El Rancho are vaccinated, along with its residents, except one who does not believe in vaccination. The woman is isolated from the rest of the residents and undergoes rapid testing every couple of days. The rest of the staff and residents are tested weekly.

The assisted living home is also open for tours to fill a vacancy, but the potential resident or the person touring for them must be vaccinated and undergo rapid testing, said Haskell.

鈥淚t feels so good that things are returning to normal. I feel as though I was carrying 10 tons of bricks on my shoulders. It was 10 tons of responsibility with protecting the residents and the care team from COVID-19. I actually go into Costco now. I didn鈥檛 do that for a year. We had curbside delivery and shopped online,鈥� Haskell said.

This past year was difficult for residents, especially those with dementia, explained Haskell. 鈥淭hey did not understand why their daughter was outside and they were inside looking at each other through a window.鈥�

Residents enjoy conversations and communal dining even though they follow social distancing. They enjoy puzzles and memory games but have not gathered for group games yet. Haskell said she prefers family visits outdoors, but visits can occur in a resident鈥檚 room under certain conditions, including proof of vaccinations, a temperature reading, washing of hands and wearing a mask at all times. Guests cannot go into the communal areas.

鈥淲e have weekly Zoom conference calls with county health officials. The county has been very good about this. The calls are open to all care home owners, and we get a weekly update on the COVID-19 status in the county. We receive continued recommendations on safety guidelines,鈥� said Haskell.

鈥淲e are taking it day by day. We are not sure when all of the measures will be lifted. I can assure you I am looking forward to that time,鈥� Haskell said.

Seniors at Fellowship Square Tucson are also enjoying visitations by family and friends with screening and safety measures in place.

Concerts have resumed in the dining room, and fitness programs include 鈥淲alking with Leslie Sansone,鈥� an indoor video program presented in the multi-purpose room, and cardio drumming, which focuses on stability and balance.

Residents once again can attend Bible studies, church services and aqua classes at the pools at the senior community, which offers independent living and assisted living with health-care services on the property.

The upcoming Memorial Day barbecue with traditional foods will be held in the dining room. It will feature a live concert with the performance of The Old Pueblo Bluegrass Band.

鈥淏eing isolated as they have been for more than a year is never a good thing for seniors,鈥� said Jerri Ann Hooper, a spokeswoman for Fellowship Square Tucson. She said the community is happy and looks forward to providing an engaging and active quality of life for seniors.

蜜聊直播: COVID-19 vaccinations in Tucson, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccination clinic, retirement community

COVID-19 vaccinations, University of 蜜聊直播 Mall

COVID-19, clinic, TCC

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, PIma County, Hacienda at the Canyon

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

COVID-19 vaccinations, Pima County

Five years ago, Sharon Kha knew her living situation needed to change.

She needed help because her Parkinson鈥檚 disease was advancing. She was diagnosed in 2003 with the brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination.

鈥淚 knew that I could no longer live alone, but I wasn鈥檛 ready to move into assisted living,鈥� recalled Kha, 77.

鈥淚 needed someone to cook my evening meal and someone to live in my house who could respond if I fell,鈥� said the former broadcast journalist and retired associate vice president for University of 蜜聊直播 Communications who also served as assistant to the UA president. She retired in 2005.

A friend mentioned Deb Knox, 76, a self-employed businesswoman who is a writing coach for those interested in writing memoirs and autobiographies. Knox moved from New England to Tucson 20 years ago. She wanted to downsize and sell her midtown condo to get out from under a mortgage.

Kha and Knox talked on the phone about five times, and their personalities clicked, said Kha. The two found a connection and could provide what each other needed. Knox moved into Kha鈥檚 spacious home in central Tucson where Kha has lived for 25 years.

Sharing their lives, responsibilities

The women are 鈥渂oommates鈥� 鈥� baby boomer roommates 鈥� who found happiness and friendship. They enjoy cooking, drinking coffee on the patio while spotting birds, and walks in the neighborhood.

The two handled their home sharing arrangements on their own without the use of an agency that specializes in home sharing matches and contracts. But, the key was that a friend who knew their needs and personalities was able to recommend Knox as a house mate, said Kha.

鈥淓very home sharing relationship is different. We, personally, did not sign a contract. We wrote a letter of understanding that states very simply that in return for cooking my evening meals every night and being here in case I fall, Deb would live here rent free. For us it works perfectly,鈥� said Kha.

鈥淚n our case, I called my insurance company to make sure that I was clear about Deb sharing my house and I checked with my tax man to find out whether I needed to file or pay taxes on the value of the service I was receiving from Deb. I did my best to make sure that we were staying within the law,鈥� Kha said.

鈥淏ut, this relationship is not a transaction. It is a relationship. In a relationship, you have to deal with certain amounts of trust. So that is why it is so important to have a formal program that can counsel people and provide follow-up,鈥� Kha said.

Knox added: 鈥淣ot all home sharing experiences turn into a relationship like ours. But, the transactions can still be very meaningful as mutual needs are met.鈥�

Those interested in home sharing can get guidance from the nonprofit National Shared Housing Resource Center. In general, contracts cover living arrangements, finances and shared responsibilities. Each person鈥檚 lawyer can get involved and look over the contracts. The contracts can also include conditions about ending the home sharing agreement.

Both women have researched home sharing for older adults, and last year founded the nonprofit Tucson Home Sharing organization. Tucson Home Sharing has a Facebook page and regular Zoom meetings where the women give information about home sharing. They also have been invited to speak to community groups about the concept, and The Pew Charitable Trusts sent a crew from Washington, D.C., to film a video about their experience that is on YouTube.

蜜聊直播 does not have home sharing programs, but Kha and Knox, along with other agencies that advocate for older adults, are planning for the future. Among the pluses, is ending isolation and finding affordable housing for those in need, said Knox.

Nonprofit鈥檚 pilot program in works

Pima Council on Aging supports the women鈥檚 home sharing initiative, but are not involved in the organization at this time, said Lana Baldwin, PCOA鈥檚 vice president of philanthropy and communications.

PCOA, a nonprofit agency that advocates for older adults and their families, has conducted a home share feasibility study, and has applied for grant funding to start a home sharing pilot program. If funding is received, it will collaborate with the Tucson Home Sharing organization founded by Kha and Knox, Baldwin said.

The study, funded by the city of Tucson Industrial Development Authority, states that 鈥淧ima County is not alone in grappling with the multitude of ways in which older adults confront the challenges and threats to maintaining secure housing and an independent lifestyle 鈥� regardless of income level.

AARP鈥檚 report, Making Room: Housing for a Changing America, states that 鈥榓dults living alone account for nearly 30% of U.S. households ... and the housing supply, no matter the locale, has been slow to meet the demands or respond to the needs of increasingly varied living arrangements.鈥欌��

鈥淗ome sharing is beginning to emerge as a relatively low-cost and immediate way to create sustainable long-term housing for older adults in communities across the United States,鈥� says the report.

Once funding is obtained through PCOA, Kha and Knox plan to have a website created to put up home sharing stories, the benefits of home sharing and programs that exist across the country. A successful program in Tucson will include matching services for homeowners and home seekers; criminal background checks; personal interviews; and trained staff to run the program.

鈥淭his is our vision, but it is not yet in existence,鈥� Kha said. 鈥淭here are 17 states that have home sharing programs, and in Tucson there has been remarkable interest.鈥�

Knox said 鈥渢here are nearly 50 programs nationwide under the National Shared Housing Program and we will be a part of it eventually.鈥�

In the meantime, the two women will continue to provide education and information about the benefits of home sharing, said Kha. 鈥淲e want to keep the conversation going.鈥�