About Silvergate
From hospital nursing to two small homes in Pierce County.
Our story
Silvergate Adult Family Home LLC was formed in December 2020 by Mary Ndungu, a registered nurse who had spent years in hospital and corporate nursing. In that work she cared for many older adults who were discharged to large facilities where no one had time to know them, and she watched residents with dementia or mental illness struggle in settings that were not built for them.
She opened Silvergate Adult Family Home in Bonney Lake to do it differently: six residents, consistent caregivers, and a nurse who is part of daily life rather than a name on a chart. The home earned DSHS specialty designations in dementia and mental health, added Medicaid contracts for Expanded Community Services and Specialized Behavior Support, and passed its May 2025 full inspection with no deficiencies.
In June 2026 the second home, Silvergate at Buckley, was licensed. Mary lives there, so the Buckley home has a registered nurse on site around the clock, and she continues to oversee care in Bonney Lake.
Mary Ndungu, RN
Owner and Licensed Provider
Mary Ndungu is a registered nurse licensed in Washington State since 2010. After years in the corporate nursing world, she saw how much residents with dementia or a mental health diagnosis needed care that was smaller, steadier, and more personal than a large facility could offer. She formed Silvergate Adult Family Home LLC in December 2020 and opened the Bonney Lake home, followed by Silvergate at Buckley in 2026.
Mary is the licensed provider for both homes and oversees every resident's care plan. She lives in the Buckley home, and she coordinates directly with physicians, home health agencies, and hospice teams for residents at either location.
Her approach is simple. In her words, each of us needs a purpose, no matter how big or small, that provides motivation and inspiration to enrich our lives. Staff at both homes encourage residents to be as independent as they safely can, and activities are chosen around what each person loved before they moved in.
What we believe
Each of us needs a purpose, no matter how big or small.
Our owner puts it this way: in her experience as a nurse, she has learned that each of us needs a purpose, no matter how big or small, that provides motivation and inspiration to enrich our lives. That belief shapes everything from how we plan activities to how we help someone get dressed.
We also believe families deserve straight answers. We publish our license numbers, we link to our DSHS records, we tell you plainly which home accepts Medicaid, and we will tell you if we are not the right fit for your parent.
What you can expect
Independence, routine, and respect.
Encourage independence
Staff encourage residents to be as independent as possible. We offer the amount of help a person needs, not the amount that is fastest for us.
Keep a steady routine
Meals, rest, personal care, and activity happen at predictable times with the same caregivers. For residents with memory loss or a mental health diagnosis, that consistency is itself a form of care.
Match activities to the person
We learn what each resident loved before moving in and build the day around it, because activities matter for the body, the mind, and the spirit.
Respect culture and belief
English is the primary language in both homes, and we honor each resident's ethnicity, cultural beliefs, and practices, including food, faith, and family customs.
Coordinate care, do not guess
Our RN works with physicians, home health, hospice, pharmacies, and case managers so that everyone caring for a resident is working from the same plan.
Meet Mary and see the homes
A tour is the best way to know whether a home is right for your parent or loved one. Call us or request a time, and Mary will show you the house, the daily routine, and how care is planned.
Silvergate Adult Family Home
Bonney Lake, Washington
Silvergate at Buckley
Buckley, Washington