Aegis Living is a leader in the world of assisted living, thanks to decades of dedication providing seniors with comfort, security and memory care. While it stands at the forefront of senior care today, Aegis Living has humble beginnings that date to 1997, when Dwayne J. Clark, founder and chief executive officer, set out to challenge the subpar standards of senior care.
Dwayne was the youngest of four children. His mother, Colleen, was a British citizen who, while living in India, married a World War II soldier. After the war, they moved to Kennewick, Washington. Dwayne’s father was largely absent when his mother filed for divorce and relocated to Lewiston when Dwayne was in the second grade. For much of his childhood he was raised by a single mother struggling to provide for her kids on low wages.
This could have ended up being a story of misfortune and despair, but he was lucky to have as a mother an inspirational woman who taught him that he could do anything he set his mind to. Though the family was by no means wealthy, she encouraged him to pursue his dreams. As Dwayne explained to Seattle Business magazine, she had an uplifting way of putting life into perspective and instilling confidence.
“We were dirt poor – she worked as a short-order cook – but she would say things like, ‘We’re just like the Kennedys. We’re Catholic and they’re Catholic. We’re Irish and they’re Irish.’ It took the mystique out of it,” Clark said.
Well before founding Aegis Living, Dwayne dreamed of making big changes in senior care. As a boy, he would visit his grandmother at her nursing home, a bleak place that treated seniors as second-class citizens. These elderly men and women would stare out the window, somber and silent as though they were waiting for an end. In his book, “My Mother, My Son,” Clark reveals some of the appalling conditions of this nursing home.
“Many residents were physically bound to their beds,” Clark wrote. “Some cried softly while others wailed at the top of their lungs, backs arching off their mattresses. The most horrific were those that lay silent, staring out the door. I’d catch their stares and see confusion or panic in their eyes, and I’d quickly look away … I have no doubt that my exposure to these residents had a profound effect on me.”
When he grew into a young man, Dwayne began working at an assisted living community. He found the same old situation: The residents were dismal and dreary and he quickly realized that at that time, senior care was more about real estate and profits than helping the elderly live their lives to the fullest.
He dreamed of shining some light and happiness into their lives. The company discouraged his ambition, but Dwayne continued to aspire for more for these residents. Through the years, he would write down his innovative plans for providing comfort, hope and satisfaction to the lives of seniors – ideas that would eventually become part of the care plan at Aegis Living communities.
Dwayne’s past experiences with the old-fashioned assisted living community inspired his unwavering dedication to redefine the industry. As an adult, he served as executive vice president for Sunrise Senior Living. However, his real goal was to start an organization of his own with a new company culture focused on satisfaction – a place where his own mother would enjoy living.
Dwayne did his studying before taking on the endeavor. He analyzed the business models of companies known for innovation, from Starbucks to Nordstrom, and applied his own passion and experience in assisted living to start Aegis Living. Together with his partner Bill Gallaher, he raised $22.5 million from friends and family members and opened an office in Redmond, Washington, in 1997. It was a tiny spot located above an ice cream parlor, and the company had only seven employees, but by the next year, the first Aegis Living community opened in Pleasant Hill, California, and the staff grew to 145.
Each year, Dwayne continued to open more communities throughout California, Washington and Nevada. By 2011, the company employed more than 1700 people and was earning hundreds of millions in revenue. But money was never the focus, and Dwayne sacrificed profit for the better of Aegis residents when he ended a contract with outside management to focus on owner-operated communities.
Today, there are over 30 Aegis Living communities, each employing compassionate, caring people who strive to improve the quality of life for residents. And as Dwayne J. Clark always dreamed, these communities provide not only a safe, comfortable place to live but also a beacon of hope to thousands of seniors.
Respite Stays & Day Stays give family caregivers a real break—hours, days, or a few weeks—while your loved one enjoys a safe, enriching short‑term home at Aegis Living. Guests settle into a beautifully furnished private apartment and have 24/7 care staff and onsite nurses, medication management, and discreet safety technology (motion sensors, medical‑alert pendants, visitor check‑in) for peace of mind. Each day feels purposeful with chef‑prepared, all‑day dining and 200+ monthly activities—from book clubs and fitness classes to movie nights—plus full use of the community. We coordinate with your loved one’s physicians to mirror their routines and care, so the stay feels familiar. It’s also a smart trial run for senior living: meet neighbors, test services, and see what supported independence looks like—without a long‑term commitment. Choose a Respite Stay when you’re traveling or need time to recharge, when your loved one would benefit from structure, social connection, and great meals, or when you both want peace of mind while keeping options open.
Hospice & End‑of‑Life Care at Aegis Living is comfort‑first support for the final stage of life, delivered in your loved one’s private apartment by our 24/7 care team in coordination with a trusted local hospice provider you choose (or we can recommend). Together, we create a coordinated care plan that manages pain and other symptoms, oversees medications, and provides calm, dignified help with daily needs, while offering compassionate emotional support for both resident and family. Discreet safety measures and a reliable medical‑alert system bring help quickly; chef‑prepared, in‑apartment meals adapt to changing appetites. Families are guided through decisions and moments of closure so they can focus on being present in a peaceful, home‑like setting. If your loved one already lives at Aegis, they can remain in the comfort of their home, avoiding disruptive moves. Choose this level of care when curative treatment is no longer the goal and you want expert symptom control, hands‑on daily support, and a setting that protects dignity and prioritizes comfort, meaning, and time together.
Memory Care is specialized, secure support for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who benefit from a calm, structured environment and round‑the‑clock expertise. At Aegis Living, that care happens in Life’s Neighborhood—an intimate, thoughtfully designed setting where 24/7 dementia‑trained caregivers and a nursing team on site seven days a week deliver personalized help with daily living, medication management, and mobility (including Hoyer lifts and two‑person transfers), while gently redirecting agitation and confusion. Days are purpose‑filled with science‑based cognitive programming, certified music therapy, and social activities; chef‑prepared meals are easy to enjoy and dining spaces and cues are designed for memory support. Discreet safety features like secured entrances, emergency pendants with fall detection, and optional motion sensors, prevent wandering and bring peace of mind, and visiting physicians and wellness professionals reduce trips off‑site. Families receive education and ongoing support. If your loved one is unsafe alone, missing medications, wandering, needs frequent cueing or hands‑on help with bathing or dressing, or thrives with a predictable routine, Memory Care offers the right level of care. For milder needs, our transitional Assisted Living can be a first step; for advancing symptoms, secured Memory Care provides the specialized, heartfelt support to help them feel calm, connected, and at home.