Aegis Living West Seattle: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor
Aegis Living West Seattle has joined the WSB sponsor team. New sponsors are offered the chance to tell you about themselves – here’s what Aegis Living would like you to know:
Since 2018, Aegis Living has delivered assisted living and memory care and created a special place that many lifelong West Seattle residents – from college professors to Air Force pilots, hospital administrators to restaurateurs, nurses to local business owners, and so many others – now call home.
For example, Doris – a West Seattle resident, former nurse, and wellness blogger – joined Aegis Living West Seattle in January. Doris chose the community not only to be with fellow West Seattleites but also to regain her strength and focus on her own wellness following a stay in the hospital.
“Even at 101, this has been a real growth experience,” notes Doris. “I really enjoy the staff! They are all very friendly and I’m impressed by how professional they are… and this is a very different environment from a nursing home or hospital. It doesn’t have that medical feeling.”
Health and wellness has been a central tenet of Aegis Living’s culture and resident offerings since it was founded 25 years ago – including 200+ monthly life-enrichment activities to ensure residents have many daily opportunities to stay active and engage. Some of the most popular activities include Happy Hour with live music, live speaking engagements and excursions such as visiting the LeMay Car Museum. The building interiors embrace residents’ innate connection to nature with a special focus on water, with Puget Sound and Alki Beach serving as inspiration. The community, set on Admiral Way, is home to saltwater aquariums, a nautical-themed courtyard, local photography, and waterfront views.
The culinary team also delivers both healthful and delicious fare. Culinary Services Director and chef Mark Hipkiss prides himself on providing surprise-and-delight moments each day. Residents enjoy dishes such as Northwest Salmon with Herb & Brown Butter Rub while always finding comforting dishes such as Austin’s Famous Meat Loaf (our sous-chef’s family recipe). Chef Hipkiss has spent much of his career in upscale kitchens such as John Howie Steak and the Metropolitan Grill. However, he has found his calling and purpose at Aegis Living West Seattle, where he connects with residents daily through his inventive and intuitive menus that also elicit fond memories for residents – from Hungarian goulash to specialty gumbo and everything in between.
“My goal is to make successful dishes not only for the residents who requested them but for all of the residents,” noted Hipkiss. “If I don’t get nearly 100 percent ‘buy in’ from the residents on each dish, something needs to change.”
Aegis Living West Seattle’s culinary department under Hipkiss’ guidance is also mindful about the nutritional and medical needs of residents and aims to deliver dishes that not only taste good but meet those needs.
“Our goal is to continue delivering delicious meals and smiles on resident faces, and we do this by putting them and our passion for their care at the center of what we do,” said Hipkiss.
Most central to the full experience offered at Aegis Living are the love and deep care each resident feels and receives from the team. From light assistance to more advanced memory care, each resident has access to 24/7 care managers to provide the level of care they need. The community offers a range of services such as physical therapy and speech therapy as well as psychiatry and services like massage and other gentle healing modalities. Given the range in care options, Aegis gives residents the option to transition care needs without leaving the community and offers space for couples with differing needs to continuing living under the same roof but with varied care plans. Aegis Living also provides short-term stays for residents in need of post-surgery support or just a little extra help while family is away temporarily.
Aegis Living West Seattle continues to be part of the fabric of West Seattle outside of the community walls with active engagement and support of such organizations as the West Seattle Senior Center, the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and annual events such as the West Seattle Art Walk and Summer Fest.
“When Dwayne Clark founded Aegis Living 25 years ago, he aimed to redefine what senior living could be,” said general manager Kent Chappelle. “I can say with confidence, we have succeeded in that mission here at Aegis Living West Seattle – we are successful because we genuinely love what we do.”
Aegis Living continues to welcome residents. Interested families can learn more and schedule a tour at aegiswestseattle.com. A second West Seattle location is also underway.
We thank Aegis Living West Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
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