Aegis of Aptos

My mother lived there in the active senior area for two months. Then had a stroke.
They are ill equipped to. Care for someone with this issue
They placed her in the memory care section.
The care givers came to see her every two hours but did not have water within her reach. She was dehydrated and needed water. She was alone. Tried to get to the water pitcher. Fell to the floor.
Received bruises and a gash on her palm that needed a large bandage
She was on the floor for up to two hours
With no assistance
The bandage had fallen off when we arrived
We had to hunt down assistance
And re bandaging
We asked for the mandatory incident
Report. That took about ½ hour to produce
Another visit we came in when she was at lunch
It was supposed to be chicken noodle soup
There was a watered down broth with one small piece of carrot and two small wide noodles. My mom asked for juice and got water
The memory care section is a throw away of senior area
The carpet has vomit and spit up food all. Over it in the south end of the wing
When I asked they said oh that’s from a man who does that all of the time
When I asked a supervisor she said oh I know
We are going to change the carpet in the future with no attempt to clean the carpet
Two weeks later the vomit and spit up stains were still on the carpet
I would not would not send my loved one there if I were you
Unless you lived near by to keep an eye
On the lack of care being provided
Very very expensive but that is fine if the care given matched the cost
It. Does not!!! do not recommend
My mom now has 100 percent home care and is doing better
Sad sad. Place at Aegis
A place to feel like everything is fine but a place that is. Broken in the back end of the memory care section not prepared to help a stroke victim. Sad. Expense and. A bunch of Posers. Don’t send your loved. Mom or Dad there after a
Stroke. sad

My in-​laws moved to Aegis of Aptos 3 yrs ago. Since then, my father-​in-​law has passed away. My mother-​in-​law still resides here and has private care, ²⁴⁄₇. I’ve spent considerable time here over these 3 years — attending to the needs of my in-​laws & have observed the routines of daily life in Assisted Living, as well as in Life’s Neighborhood. Here are some of my thoughts & observations.
The daily entertainment here is unprecedented in it’s quality & variety. Kudos to Jennifer for her fine job of creating such a terrific lineup of performers! My mother-​in-​law thoroughly enjoys the music & other performances in the Bistro. Were it not for the great entertainment that helps keep her so engaged with people & life, we’d likely move her elsewhere. The caregivers here are also wonderful, but seem to be stretched very thin. They’re hard working individuals, very friendly, cheerful, respectful, attentive, & caring. Long waits for assistance when you press your «help» button are not uncommon, though. My father-​in-​law would sometimes become so agitated & anxious waiting for a response that he’d make a desperate & often dangerous attempt at solving his predicament on his own — something I was very concerned about, but was never able to resolve satisfactorily. Management here is generally very pleasant & gracious to residents and their guests, as well, but somewhat ineffectual, in my opinion. Contrary to other reviews, I would say the food here is pretty mediocre. Meals could definitely benefit from more seasonal local fresh fruits & vegetables, less canned products, & maybe the inspiration of a more resourceful chef. In general, the facility is kept fairly clean. Common area bathrooms haven’t always been as clean as they should be, as well as those in my in-law’s apartments. Improved cleanliness of the facility & better health practices could probably help prevent or minimize the impact or spread of viral flu outbreaks, such as the one that just occurred here last month.

My mother has been a resident of Aegis of Aptos since April 2012. I moved her there from home, where she had 24 hour caregivers who treated her like a queen. She was on Hospice and given a few short weeks to live. The staff at Aegis rallied around my mother day and night, followed my instructions to meet her particular preferences and actually brought her back to the land of the living! They treat her as if she is a relative of theirs, all of the staff. She has come off Hospice and is up and about, going to the dining room, socializing, having the time of her life. My mother was trained in Paris as a master chef, and she is incredibly picky abouot her food, so I was surprised and delighted to find that she loved the food there. She thinks she is on permanent vacation! As an RN in the field of community care for the elderly, I can assure you that services and care like that provided at Aegis, are nearly impossible to find, let alone in an environment as clean and attractive as Aegis of Aptos. I have finally been able to stop worrying about her. The best part is that I know I can trust the staff, on any shift, to call me directly if there is a concern, a question, an accident or my mom is different that day. I have shopped around the county and worked for assistd living companies across the nation, and the costs at Aegis are mid-​market. They aren’t high, they aren’t the lowest for assisted living. Small private homes charge less, but most don’t deliver the level of care and attention to detail that I have found at Aegis. If I could do it now, I would move in myself. Well worth the move and the cost.

I have been a resident of Santa Cruz County for almost 20 years now. For years now, I have had friends and acquaintances, go thru a hard time when having to make the tough the decision to place a wife, husband, brother, sister, mom, etc in an Assisted Living facility. Some times after a stroke has left them paralyzed, sometimes when they need minimal help, and others when they have been quickly deteriorating because of Alzheimer or dementia. It is such a sad time in people’s lives when you have to see a loved one go thru so much.
I know 7 people who have had or currently have a family member residing at Aegis Living of Aptos, and they are all so happy with their choice. Some began their stay in the Assisted Living section and over the years had to be moved to the Alzheimer and dementia section. I have been to this facility to visit them numerous times, and have always been so touched by the caring and loving atmosphere here. Even when you can clearly tell it is a hectic day, everyone makes sure they give a smile as they walk by, or care givers and/​or med technicians stop for a minute just to ask how a resident is feeling that day, or to ask them if they need anything. If this difficult decision ever crosses my path, I will, without a doubt, choose Aegis as a place for any loved one of mine, or even myself, when the time comes.
I have seen these care givers be treated so badly in the dementia unit, hit, kicked, screamed at, out of frustration from the residents, which comes with this terrifying disease… and they always keep they calm and cool and find a way to help the resident relax and become friendly again. They know what they’re doing and they do an excellent job at it.
I wish other facilities were like this too. I hear such horrible stories from coworkers and their family members residing at other facilities, I always recommend Aegis as the #1 place to go. And everyone has been very happy with their choice/​change.

My Mother has been there for 3 months now and is being well taken care of. She is a stroke victim and they put her in the Regular care area, where they can give her the physical support she needs and the mental stimulation that she wants.
They can even wear her out some time. For a woman who was becoming more and more secluded in her home, this is a good thing.
If you are a senior looking for a more supportive place to stay or a child looking for a place to put a parent, this is an excellent choice.
But note — They are Not Cheap. This kind of care does cost.