Last year, when Julie Thomas moved into her new one-bedroom apartment, she was the youngest resident in the complex.

That’s because the 22-year-old USC gerontology student moved into an adult care center.

The development did not bother her; it was a deal most graduate students could only dream of – free room and board.

She soon was joined by Jineane Yonoshira and Steven Kwok, two other fortunate scholars from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Together, they are part of an informal arrangement made with the Kingsley Manor Care Center that houses gerontology grad students in exchange for 16 hours of work per week.

The students assist elder residents in their areas of interest or where they are needed most. Thomas teaches a Tai Chi exercise course, lays out the monthly Kingsley newsletter and coaches a sit-and-be-fit fall prevention course. Kwok helps out with administrative responsibilities and computer programming. Yoshimora works in outreach and marketing. In return, the students get a one-bedroom apartment and free meals.

“It’s not about logging hours, it’s about having fun and being part of the team,” Thomas said.

Thomas, whose mother managed similar care facilities throughout Bakersfield, was hesitant at first about the idea of living in an adult care center. Although she had spent much of her childhood in such an environment, she was worried about being isolated from other college-age students and cut off from friends.

“Within a month, it grew on me as I got to know the residents, the other employees and the other USC students,” Thomas said. “All of a sudden, I had bunch of new grandparents.”

Kwok, 23, whose interests include health care and social security, plans to become a geriatric physician when he completes his Master’s of Science in Gerontology.

“What I learn in class, I see in person at the center,” Kwok said. “The theories of gerontology become applicable to my life.”

Yonoshira, 22, plans to work in the health-science field when she finishes the MSG program at USC. At Kingsley, she assists in marketing and recruitment and also works with Social Services to manage power-of- attorney issues for residents.

“I love it,” Yonoshira said. “It’s wonderful to get some hands-on experience, to get to know the seniors in life so that they’re more than just clients.”

The student apartments are located among the independent living residencies, one of three levels of care at Kingsley Manor. The other care levels are assisted living and skilled nursing. Students dine with residents, help with their everyday needs and frequently visit their rooms for socializing.

“We think it’s great that Kingsley Manor offers our students this kind of exposure,” said Elizabeth Zelinski, dean of the USC Davis School. “The students are able to witness the impact of their work in gerontology firsthand.”

Built in 1910, the Kingsley Manor Care Center is the second-oldest facility of its kind in the western United States. Located on the southeast rim of Hollywood, a number of the inhabitants are former entertainers. They often serve as role models and mentors, Thomas said.

“The students we have are energetic and enthusiastic and very much appreciated, and I think the residents are very happy to have them there,” said Jeffrey Kirschner, executive director of Kingsley.