great pho. nice outdoor area to eat. love going there. shrimp roll good. i go a lot for the pho

Though my husband was only at Aegis for a short amount of time, all of my experiences there were very positive, from the office staff, to the medical staff, to the aids and caregivers on the floor. I'm particularly grateful for, and impressed by, Oliver's sincere compassion and care for the memory residents in the unit he directs. That's really what sold me on the place immediately, the first day I went, and he toured me through the memory care ward. I was scared to go because I had never been in a locked memory care unit before, and I imagined it would be some awful, dark, creepy, depressing, prison-like place full of anguish and suffering. It was anything but. Light, airy, clean, welcoming, with friendly staff being very attentive to everything that was happening. Every time I visited after my husband moved there, I had this same positive impression of the place. That very first day, I saw how Oliver interacted with some residents--one who was very frightened, and another who seemed very angry--and he just took the time to comfort them, listen to them, joke with them, and acknowledge them. He gave them so much dignity. It was very moving. Thank you Oliver, for doing this important work. Thank you Aegis for providing such a quiet and peaceful place for my husband to rest during his final days. read more

I am currently living at Aegis. My daughter had to find a place for me after I spent an extended time in the hospital and Aegis presents as beautiful and quiet...Just what I needed after terrible stress of loud hospital environment. After just a week or so they suddenly moved me to another apartment, with no sensible explanation. This new apartment was next to a utility room where all electrical equipment is located and over several large commercial size garbage bins. These were emptied several times a week by the usual large noisy garbage trucks very early in the morning. The electrical equipment in room, which had a common wall with mine, hummed loudly 24/7. This is when I started complaining to staff and management. The managers here seem to be trying...after Covid many businesses have difficulty finding employees and it is the same here. Yet if they can't find enough staff they need to stop taking more residents..we all suffer, staff and residents. I don't have cognitive impairment so I am able to self advocate. Most other residents can not. Then there is medication...I am charged $$$ each day for a poorly payed med-tech (what is a med-tech?) to hand me meds. Often the meds are not the right dose, or if the meds are PRN, or as needed, they have denied me the medication. I have argued for hours for meds to treat migraine. By the time I get the medicine I need a second dose to handle out of control pain. My blood pressure has become very high here. My doctor yesterday faxed instructions to Aegis to double blood pressure meds. Yesterday I was given correct dose. Today the med tech offered the old dose. I went to Nurses office to find the fax, which I saw yesterday, and they could not find it. The nurse told me he didn't want to argue with me....I have to argue! I need this medication! I want to be clear, the management on site here in Aptos have been supportive. They took time from their very busy day to meet with me in my room..three of them. They listened and affirmed my concerns and fears. They worked hard to correct the medication issues. The health services director was sick yesterday so instructions from my doctor were not filed...Griselda works extremely hard to make me comfortable. She listened to my complaints regarding the loud room I was moved to. She then made sure I was moved again to a quieter, larger room. This morning she tracked down my doctors instructions and brought me the correct meds. For me the blood pressure issue was the last straw. High blood pressure is a serious medical problem...It scared me this morning to again have to argue, protest and push to get the right dose. No business is all bad or all good. Yet when there are medical issues there's a need for fail safe measures to protect patients. read more

What an incredible place and so well managed! My parents lived there for almost three years and as they both recently passed, we feel like we have lost not only my parents, but the folks at Aegis of Aptos who became our family. So much kindness and love surrounded my parents by the thoughtful staff - to a one. The facility is very tidy and recently underwent a complete renovation. My parents always had clean laundry and a spotless room with a beautiful view overlooking the courtyard fountain. We feel so incredibly lucky to have found this place for my parents to live out their final years. They were truly happy here and always felt well so looked after and cared for. A thank you will never be enough! read more

Really a very well run organization. Super happy with having my father there! thanks to the staff ... Only complaint is that the medicine management is a bit high~ read more

Jennifer in billing is amazing. Her honesty and straight forward is very impressive. I will follow up on this review when time permits. five stars. read more

Kind, thoughtful and caring. Like all of us, I was/am always concerned about my love ones care. Aegis continues to impress me with their professionalism and level of care for my mother. read more

I love Aegis for my grandmother, but recently my mom has overheard some really nasty remarks about having to celebrate Hanukkah and the decorations that have been put up from the general manager. She walked in Monday morning to visit my grandma and was was ecstatic to see that the very first thing she saw when she walked in was a table with a nice menorah on it and some garland to help celebrate Hanukkah. This made her happy because most places we go to this time of year have nothing but Christmas decorations, but it was nice to see that Aegis was including not only Christmas, but Hanukkah as well. While upstairs waiting to go down the elevator my mom overheard Griselda make a comment about how she didn't like that Hanukkah was right in front. Now my mom has been there to visit just about every day this week and she said that Griselda doesn't even try to hide her disgust. Just this morning she heard her say how much she doesn't like that the decorations for Hanukkah didn't match the Christmas tree and how ugly they are. These comments are extremely disheartening as someone who celebrates Hanukkah. For being the one in charge Griselda should be leading by example. She doesn't have to like my beliefs or the holidays that go with them, but she should definitely keep those rude comments to herself. I knew my mom would never write this so I figured I would since things like this shouldn't be said, especially not out loud where anyone can hear them. I just hope she ends this kind of behavior. If others heard the comments she has been saying they would feel the same way. Please do better Aegis. read more

BUYER BEWARE--TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR ELDERS FOR FINANCIAL GAIN GALORE! I have been overseeing my elderly Aunt's assisted living care over the past few years at Aegis. Their exorbitant fees for both Assisted Living and Memory Care are appalling despite the otherwise nice staff. My disgust at the disgraceful financial exploitation and lack of oversight and controls over their fees has been eating away at me. Surely countless others are contending with the same concerns. The Sentinel reported on the $80 million sale of Aegis last December 2018 to an institutional investor/private equity firm, Blue Moon Capital Partners--through a transaction involving three assisted living and memory care properties. I doubt anyone without first hand experience has any inkling what the facility's fee structure looks like or the impact of their profiteering. For starters, clearly in order to obscure their fees, the facility charges by the day for both Room and Board, as well as for "extra" Care, despite billing monthly, and residents' long-term tenancy--ideally for the rest of their lives. Additional "Extra" Care fees (e.g., $2,482.00/yr. for handing residents their eyeglasses (!) and $3,723.00/yr. for handing residents their hearing aids (!) are insidiously charged using a daily point system for each allegedly required "service" to further obscure the actual enormity and shamelessness of their fees. Each point costs 68 cents--last year it was 64 cents but it goes up by 6%/yr. (e.g., Handing residents their eyeglasses each morning costs 10 points/day @ 68 cents each--$6.80/day--$204/mo.--$2,482/yr.!; handing residents their hearing aids each morning costs 15 points/day @ 68 cents each--$10.20/day--$306.00/mo.--$3,723.00/yr. and nearly double that to change the batteries weekly!). They charge my aunt $5,212.20/yr. to hand her a hairbrush and toothbrush with toothpaste each day! Both room/board rates and extra "care" costs are routinely increased @ 6%/yr., without any typical justification against the Consumer Price Index, inflation rates, or cost of living. Prices are raised because they can, and nobody is effectively overseeing or containing them. Until recently, my Aunt with dementia who is still able to participate in daily activities, and walks independently with a walker, was paying $222.00/DAY for room/board plus an additional $104.40/DAY for extra "care" allegedly warranted ($326.40/DAY!). So... Board & Room (approximately 12' X 14' private room plus bathroom) = $81,030.00/yr., and Care amounted to $38,106.00/yr., which all totaled, amounted to $119,136.00/year! Two months ago, Aegis said she needed to move to their Memory Care unit but assured us if she moved to a Companion Suite (separate room with a shared bathroom), she could save money by paying $201.00/DAY for Room/Board ($73,365/yr.) and $87.72/DAY ($32,017.80/yr.) for extra care (because allegedly some of her former care costs would be automatically covered by the Memory Care program). So her total costs in Memory Care would be $105,382.80/yr. I have this representation in writing. Within six weeks of transitioning to Memory Care, they raised her care costs from 129 points/DAY (@ $.68 each) to 175 points (@ $.68 each--totaling $43,435/yr. + $73,365/yr RENT), and she cannot do anything about it. That's a $11,418.00/yr. increase, in two months...because they can. BAIT & SWITCH? To illustrate the unconscionable charges the elderly incur there, this is what my Aunt's itemized, additional care fees look like (after I manually convert the point system into standard monthly and annual dollar amounts):   Points Cost/Day Cost/Month Cost/Year Task Daily Preparation--i.e., dress, groom, and bedtime preparation: 21 $ 14.28 $ 428.40 $5,212.20 Hand resident tooth/hair brushes 15 $ 10.20 $ 306.00 $3,723.00 Velcro on/off left calf brace w/shoe 25 $ 17.00 $ 510.00 $6,205.00 Clothes selection and into hamper 10 $ 6.80 $ 204.00 $2,482.00 Put on glasses in am/off at bedtime 15 $ 10.20 $ 306.00 $3,723.00 Keep hearing aides p.m./am return 5 $ 3.40 $ 102.00 $1,241.00 Nighttime pull-up + am discard [91 $ 61.88 $1,856.40 $22,586.20 Sub-Total to get ready in a.m./p.m.] 8 $ 5.44 $ 163.20 $1,985.60 Assist with two showers per week 15 $ 10.20 $ 306.00 $3,723.00 Allegedly monitor for falls 1 $ .68 $ 20.40 $ 248.20 Just because...for using a walker 10 $ 6.80 $ 204.00 $2,482.00 Regular activity reminders (Note-this is a Memory Care unit) Medication Fees: 20 $ 13.60 $ 408.00 $4,964.00 "Manage" 6 medications--what is this? 15 $ 10.20 $ 306.00 $3,723.00 Give meds up to 3X/day 15 $ 10.20 $ 306.00 $3,723.00 Eyedrops same time as above 50 $ 34.00 $1,020.00 $12,410.00 Sub-Total: Give 6 Daily meds+drops 175 $ 119.00 $3,570.00 $43,435.00 Grand Total Extra Care Charges $43,435 "Care" + $73,365/yr Rent = $116,800/yr TOTAL #SAD read more

My mom spent nearly a year at Aegis. She recently passed away there after a 5 month battle with cancer. There are no words to describe the loving care my mom received from every single person at Aegis. The staff assisted our family and my mom through the toughest time in our lives. They were all there for mom 24x7. They worked with hospice to provide her with everything she needed. Aegis is a great place and I am so sad that mom was not able to spend more time there. I will miss everyone at Aegis.. they feel like family to me! As for the costs, it is a fact that elder care is expensive. I felt that everything we were charged for at Aegis was fair. They explained costs and were open to review costs with me wherever I inquired. The staff works really hard at Aegis and they deserve to be paid fairly for their work. My in-laws were not at Aegis and were paying 33,000 a month for care in their home.. compared to this, Aegis is a bargain!! I will forever be grateful to our Aegis family for everything they did for us to make mom's last months so happy. read more

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. read more

This is the absolute best place for someone who is dealing with dementia or is unable to live alone. The caregivers, the new Director and even the receptionists are amazing! These people deserve the best reviews for treating old folks with absolute respect and dignity. I highly recommend them. Each time i visit my friend i find friendly faces and a good vibe. The place is really clean and fancy. This is the best choice for old folks. read more

We feel very lucky we have found such a wonderful place with truly special people for my mother to call home. I have never witness anyone being harsh or abrupt with their care giving. In fact, it has been quiet the opposite. This is why my brother and myself so wanted Mom to have her home here. We were truly impressed 4 1/2 years ago and are still extremely happy in how clean and beautiful they keep the surroundings and how wonderful all the staff are. I can not speak more highly of a place. She has her own lovely apartment. Her meals are provided for her three times a day (if she is there and not out and about...Gayles can be a big draw). She has a call button (wrist band) if she should need help any time day or night. She has a community around her, who genuinely cares for her and treats her with respect and consideration. It's wonderful to know as she ages and needs more help it will be there for her. For now there are so many tiny little things she doesn't have to worry about, such as: keeping up a house, having numerous bills to keep track of, she doesn't have to worry about maintenance of a home; we don't have to worry if she is too tired to fix a proper meal for herself, and numerous other small details that become mountains as we age. She can relax and just enjoy her life, instead of worrying about all the little things that pile up. As for her children, we are so much more relax and happy for her and for us. It's wonderful to know there is someone right there if she should fall or need help. I should mention my Mother is quite Independent and able to get around on her on. She is still driving and very active. There are a few things she needs help doing and she has fallen several times in the past, so the extra attention and help is a Godsend. It takes the worries away from her children who live far away and her children who live close by. Someone can be there at her side at a moments notice, if need be. A few people who have been instrumental in Mom's transition are Griselda, I can't even begin to sing her praises. She could not be in a better position. She takes all the little headaches away with a smile every time. She is a can do person. She is positive, encouraging, and no obstacle seems too big (of course she works very long hours - don't know how she does it). I can call her anytime with a concern and she is there, helpful and on top of it. She was extremely involved in making a smooth transition for my Mothers move back in - You would have thought Mom had another daughter with how hard she worked for us ( I am not kidding - guess I better start calling her Sis). Glenda is a sweetheart. She has recently changed positions, but is someone, like Griselda, who goes the extra mile. She is kind and compassionate and makes time for you. She is always hugging, saying kind words to residents and helping residents any way she can. One of Moms caregivers, housekeepers, friend and so much more is Vermena. She is patient as the day is long. Did I mention, my Mother can be extremely particular and fastidious? Vermena thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. Delilah is usually at the front desk. She is always cheery, friendly, and Delightful. She can make your day just walking into Aegis. The kitchen staffs are wonderful, did I mention their Salmon is as good as any Restaurant I have ever tasted (Moms favorite) and they have several awards for their clam chowder. The cooks and wait staffs also treat the residences like family. read more

Beware of their bait and switch. We were quoted one price and came back to sign final move in documents only to find out that the original price did not include care - which took us from $5500 mo to just under $10k...we took some time to reconsider, chose another home and then found out that our $1000 deposit was no longer refundable. We were assured when placing it that it was. I'm sure Aegis is a wonderful home, and it is surely a beautiful environment, but beware, and ask even the obvious questions. I'm my opinion, this group takes advantage of the sensitive position that many of are in when we are making care decisions for our loved ones. read more

First off: you should not be choosing something as important as an assisted living place off of Yelp. However, if you do, and are looking for an excellent place in Santa Cruz county, Aegis is wonderful. My mother lived there 2.5 years, and she was well-supported the entire time. The staff is amazingly caring. I can compare it to another facility in Santa Cruz where we also have experience: at that facility, the staff was harried and not terribly responsive. The staff at Aegis really took great care of my mother, and that's what counted the most for us. read more

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. read more

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. read more

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 1/2 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 read more

Aegis Living Aptos - Aegis aptos - Retirement Homes Near Me - Aptos, California

See all

My paternal grandmother lived here. The staff is nice and professional. The facility is really nice. They do have a dementia wing which my grandmother was in. Parking for visitors is good. The food there is good. This facility was great to my grandmother and to us. read more

This is absolutely the worst place ever AND the most expensive. They base your monthly rate at how much care is needed. We had our Mother there for 3 years! She sat in her room 24/7! (she needed encouragement to go out) They never helped her do anything and we were paying the last year over $8K/month! She was always dirty, greasy hair, teeth not brushed etc! She ended up in the hospital twice! Once with Cellulitis, second time acute dehydration! After getting back from the hospital we went to visit following day. We found her in the same clothes she came back from hospital in and she was COMATOSE!!! It appeared after getting back they had not even checked on her! She went back to hospital where she came close to dying!! If you they need Hospice, Aegis says they have to charge you the max before anyone else can come in to assist!!!! Needless to say we are gone!! 10K/month with no care???? I have way to many stories to tell about this place!! Good Luck!!! :) read more

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. read more

After it became clear that my mom needed more care than we could provide at home we shopped around before deciding that Aegis was the best choice for us. The decision was based around the physical attributes of the facility itself, the resident to caregiver ratio, and the management and nursing staff, as well as being well equipped for memory care as it becomes needed. Mom lived in the Assisted Living section for more than a year and still felt that she had her independence even though she was not to go out the front door on her own. About 6 months ago it became time for her to move into one of the smaller Memory Care Neighborhoods. I'll admit I was hesitant at best as I had no idea how she would react to moving into 'Lock Up', as was my limited concept at the time, but the folks at Aegis helped me feel comfortable and understand what was involved and why it was necessary. It turns out that the smaller geography and extra freedom to live helped my mom thrive and found her smiling and definitely happier with her situation. What a relief! She was even allowed to keep her little dog which has been her life's joy for recent years. Long story short, Hospice eventually was necessary and the staff at Aegis, from the Caregivers, to Griselda and Jennifer in Management, to Mary Ellen the Nursing Director, were all attentive and amazing. Sure, everyone can find something to complain about if that's their nature, but also having my sister in Assisted Living (also now with Hospice) in GA, I can tell you that not all these places are created equal. If I had to do it all over again, I'd definitely go back to Aegis of Aptos. They really do care about their residents and their families! read more