Welcome to Gracious Heart Adult Family Home
- Mark Ngewa
- Jan 1
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
The Heart Behind Gracious Heart Adult Family Home
Where professional caregiving is guided by compassion, experience, and respect.
Gracious Heart Adult Family Home is a licensed Adult Family Home located in Des Moines, Washington, providing personalized care for individuals living with dementia, stroke-related conditions, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and memory care needs. Provider, Mark Ngewa founded
Gracious Heart AFH on both professional experience and personal history. Long before opening Gracious Heart, I was closely involved in caring for my grandparents while growing up. At 10 years old I was caring my grandfather after he was involved in a car accident. He suffered a broken right leg, facial lacerations, and a broken arm. Supporting both of my grandparents through the changes that come with aging taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of treating elders with dignity and respect. Those early experiences shaped our philosophy today: providing calm, consistent, and heartfelt care in a home-like environment where every resident is valued as a person, not a diagnosis.
Heading #1: Why I Opened Gracious Heart Adult Family Home
I opened Gracious Heart Adult Family Home because caregiving has been part of my life long before it became a profession. Growing up, I was closely involved in caring for my grandparents as they aged. Being present for them through memory changes, physical limitations, and daily routines taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of treating elders with dignity and respect. Those early experiences shaped how I view caregiving, not as a task, but as a responsibility rooted in love and consistency.
As I later observed the care options available to families, I realized how overwhelming and impersonal the process can sometimes feel. Many families are forced to choose between large facilities where care can feel rushed or environments that lack the personal attention their loved ones truly need. I wanted to create a different option where residents are known personally, routines are familiar, and care is tailored to the individual rather than the system.
Gracious Heart Adult Family Home was opened to provide a calm, supportive, and home-like environment for individuals living with dementia, stroke-related conditions, traumatic brain injury, and memory care needs. My goal has always been to create a place where residents feel safe and valued, and where families feel confident that their loved one is being cared for with genuine heart, respect, and compassion every single day.
Heading #2: Our Caregiving Philosophy
At Gracious Heart Adult Family Home, our caregiving philosophy is rooted in compassion, dignity, and respect for every individual we serve. We believe that each resident is more than their diagnosis and deserves to be treated as a whole person with a unique history, personality, and set of needs. Care should feel personal and thoughtful, not rushed or routine. Our goal is to create an environment where residents feel safe, valued, and genuinely cared for in a way that honors who they are.
We believe quality care comes from consistency and meaningful human connection. By caring for a small number of residents in a home setting, we are able to build trusting relationships, maintain familiar routines, and respond attentively to changes in physical, emotional, or cognitive needs. Whether supporting individuals living with dementia, recovering from a stroke, managing traumatic brain injury, or needing memory care, we approach each day with patience, attentiveness, and flexibility allowing care to adapt to the individual rather than forcing the individual to adapt to the system.
Equally important to our philosophy is partnering closely with families and loved ones. We believe open communication, transparency, and collaboration are essential to providing the best possible care. Families are an extension of our caregiving team, and we strive to support them with honesty, reassurance, and respect. At Gracious Heart Adult Family Home, our philosophy is simple: to care with heart, integrity, and compassion, creating a home where residents can live with comfort, dignity, and peace.
Heading #3: Type of Residents We Serve
Our facility serves adults who need consistent support in a safe, structured, and compassionate home environment. Our residents are individuals who benefit from personalized care, close supervision, and familiar routines rather than a large, fast-paced facility. We focus on creating a calm setting where residents feel secure, respected, and understood.
We specialize in caring for individuals living with dementia and other memory-related conditions, as well as those recovering from or living with the long-term effects of stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), insulin management, and mental health support. These conditions often require patience, consistency, and attentive care tailored to each person’s abilities and changing needs. Our approach allows residents to receive the support they need while maintaining dignity, comfort, and as much independence as possible.
The residents we serve often need assistance with daily activities such as mobility, medication management, personal care, and safety supervision. Many also benefit from gentle structure, reassurance, and meaningful human connection throughout the day. At Gracious Heart Adult Family Home, we are committed to supporting individuals who require both physical and cognitive care, while providing families with peace of mind knowing their loved one is cared for with compassion, respect, and heart.
Heading #4: Reassurance for Families
We know that choosing care for a loved one can feel overwhelming. It often comes with questions, worry, and even guilt. At Gracious Heart Adult Family Home, we want families to know that these feelings are completely normal, and that you’re not alone in this process. We take the responsibility of caring for your loved one very seriously.
Because we are a small, home-based setting, we’re able to give residents close attention and truly get to know them. We believe open communication is key, and we make it a priority to keep families informed and involved. You’ll always be welcome to ask questions, share concerns, and be part of your loved one’s care.
Our goal is simple: to give families peace of mind. We want you to feel confident that your loved one is safe, cared for with kindness, and treated with dignity every day. At Gracious Heart, we care for residents like family, and we walk alongside you every step of the way.
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