Each Aegis Living community is a tight-knit family of residents where seniors with Alzheimer’s can meet and make lasting relationships with others moving along the same path in life. It leads to a warm and welcoming environment built on compassion, care and mutual comforting. However, residents are also ingrained in the communities outside and want to continue to make positive impact in their neighborhoods with volunteer and non-profit work. After all, many seniors belong to Aegis Living communities within their hometowns and remain close to their friends and family members throughout their golden years.
One extraordinary and touching story of giving back to the community takes place at Aegis of Aptos, California. As marketing director Jennifer Andronico explains, the Aegis of Aptos knitting group recently made 50 hats for Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services. These knit caps go straight to children with cancer who have or may soon lose their hair due to chemotherapy.
“The knitting group made 50 hats for children with cancer.”
The group has been meeting for several years, and this is not the first time the club has involved itself in the Aptos neighborhood and taken the initiative to give back to others. Resident Lois Hanneman, a retired nurse who celebrated her 99th birthday on Feb. 4, 2015, is the anchor of this club and invites friends and family of seniors – or anyone interested – to join in on the fun. For example, Aptos local Diane, the daughter of a former resident, is also an avid knitter and joins the group regularly. Though her mother has since passed away, Diane remains an active member to this day.
As many as a dozen people gather every Friday to put their hands to work, knitting for different causes for people in the area. In the past, these knitting seniors and other community members have contributed their knit creations to various organizations, including donating baby blankets to the Santa Cruz women’s shelter and blankets to the local cancer hospital. These products, like the knit caps, are beautifully crafted – colorful, warm and symbols of compassion from the hearts of Aegis Living seniors.
Efforts such as this also benefit the seniors greatly. Lois has been knitting her whole life, and the club allows her to keep in touch with an old pastime. She’d be knitting up a storm no matter what as she says it keeps her hands busy while giving her a sense of accomplishment – and her love for the hobby is evident by the fact that many of her clothes are made by her own two hands. As she’s said to Andronico, “When you knit something, you put knit life into it.” But the club and its charity initiatives give her handmade items, as well as the time and care she puts into them, a whole new, deeper meaning. Using her skills to give back to the neighbors in her community provides a sense of accomplishment and of being valued, which is just as important in for seniors in their elder years as it was when they were young.
Aegis Living also gives back to neighbors in their communities in other ways. The organization contributes to a wide variety of charities and not-for-profits dedicated to making the world a better place in general. The assisted living company dedicates financial resources to the Alzheimer’s Association to aid research toward a cure and new treatment options as well as initiatives that provide seniors and families affected by dementia. Aegis Living also donates to the American Diabetes Association, FareStart, the Eastside Domestic Violence Program and Rainier Scholars.
Seniors at the other Aegis Living communities work together as well to bring comfort to people in need. For example, at Aegis on Madison, resident Margaret Hardin, who is 101, leads a blanket-making project that benefits Childhaven, a local not-for-profit that provides care and support to young children who have been neglected, abused and affected by drugs or alcohol. The blanket makers say they get more than they give. Working on the project makes them feel, “Like I’m helping somebody else,” Margaret says.
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.