July 28, 1999


VIA FACSIMILE AND FEDERAL EXPRESS
- ---------------------------------

Mr. J. William Sharman, Jr.
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
ILM Senior Living, Inc.
ILM II Senior Living, Inc.
8180 Greensboro Drive, Suite 850
McLean, Virginia 22102

Re:      Amendments to Merger Agreements

Dear Bill:

         Reference  is made to each of that  certain (i)  Agreement  and Plan of
Merger (the "ILM I Merger  Agreement")  dated February 7, 1999, among ILM Senior
Living,   Inc.,  a  Virginia   corporation  ("ILM  I"),  Capital  Senior  Living
Corporation,   a  Delaware  corporation   ("Capital"),   Capital  Senior  Living
Acquisition  LLC,  a  Delaware  limited   liability   company  and  wholly-owned
subsidiary of Capital ("Capital  Acquisition"),  and Capital Senior Living Trust
I, a Delaware  business trust and wholly-owned  subsidiary of Capital  ("Capital
Trust") and (ii)  Agreement  and Plan of Merger (the "ILM II Merger  Agreement,"
and together with the ILM I Merger  Agreement,  the "Merger  Agreements")  dated
February 7, 1999, among ILM II Senior Living, Inc., a Virginia Corporation ("ILM
II", and together  with ILM I, the "ILMs"),  Capital,  Capital  Acquisition  and
Capital Trust.

         Upon the terms and  subject to the  conditions  set forth in the Merger
Agreements  (including,  without  limitation,  the  provisions  of  Articles  II
thereof), each of the ILM I and ILM II has agreed to merge with and into Capital
Acquisition (the "Mergers") for consideration consisting of cash and convertible
trust preferred securities.

         Due to the  recent  developments  since  the date on which  the  Merger
Agreements were entered into and because Capital and the ILMs continue to desire
to consummate the Mergers as promptly as reasonably  practicable  upon terms and
conditions  that  are  fair to and in the best  interests  of  their  respective
stockholders, each of Capital and the ILMs, hereby agree as follows:

     1.   Capital and the ILMs,  upon the advice of their  respective  legal and
          financial  advisors,  shall  undertake  to enter into as  promptly  as
          reasonably practicable after the date hereof appropriate amendments to
          or  restatements  of  the  Merger   Agreements  (the  "Amended  Merger
          Agreements") to provide,  among other things,  that all holders of the
          common stock,  $.01 par value,  of each of ILM I and ILM II (together,
          the "ILM Common  Stock"),  shall have the right to elect to receive in
          the Merger in respect of their shares,  consideration payable entirely
          in cash representing  total aggregate cash consideration to be paid by
          Capital in the Mergers of  approximately  $172.0 million.  The Amended
          Merger Agreements will further provide that in lieu of such all-cash






          consideration,  all  holders  of the ILM Common  Stock  shall have the
          right to elect to receive in the Mergers in respect of their shares up
          to 35% of the consideration to be paid by Capital and Capital Trust in
          the form of 8.0%  convertible  trust  preferred  securities of Capital
          Trust,  and upon  further  conversion,  into shares of Capital  Common
          Stock.

     2.   The outside termination date set forth in Section 7.1(e) of the Merger
          Agreements will be extended to September 30, 2000.

     3.   The execution and delivery of the Amended  Merger  Agreements  will be
          subject to approval  thereof by the Board of  Directors of each of ILM
          I, ILM II and Capital.

         If the foregoing  correctly sets forth our mutual  understanding  as to
the subject matter set forth above,  kindly so confirm by executing the enclosed
duplicate of this letter in the space provided below for such purposes.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            CAPITAL SENIOR LIVING CORPORATION



                                            By:        /s/ James A. Stroud
                                                       -------------------------
                                            Name:      James A. Stroud
                                            Title:     Chairman of the Company

ACCEPTED AND CONFIRMED as of the 29th day of July, 1999.

ILM SENIOR LIVING, INC.


By:      /s/  J. William Sharman, Jr.
         ----------------------------
Name:    J. William Sharman, Jr.
Title:   Chairman of the Board, President and
          Chief Executive Officer

ILM II SENIOR LIVING, INC.


By:      /s/ J. William Sharman, Jr.
         ---------------------------
Name:    J. William Sharman, Jr.
Title:   Chairman of the Board, President and
           Chief Executive Officer