COMFORTCARE HOMES
Innovative Dementia Care
ComfortCare Homes' Legacy
ComfortCare Homes pioneered the concept of residential dementia care in Wichita, Kansas. Founded by the Stark family in 1993, our story began a few years earlier after J.W. and Reola Stark were both diagnosed with dementia.
The Stark’s son, Charles, and his wife Mary Lou, felt strongly committed to keeping their parents’ care close to the family. With Charles and Mary Lou leading the effort, they enlisted the help of their own children, Doug and Leigh Ann.
The process followed a path common to many families coping with a dementia diagnosis. For a while, daily check-ins were adequate. But the elder Starks’ needs soon increased, and Charles and Mary Lou made the decision to bring J.W. and Reola to live with them.
In the process of caring for the Stark grandparents at home, the vision of ComfortCare Homes materialized.
Like any family taking on the care of loved ones with Alzheimer’s, the Starks spent time educating themselves about dementia and the best practices of care at the time. They soon came to understand that clinical care in large impersonal facilities increases stress and confusion and that most people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia respond well to calm, familiar environments.
When the Starks opened the first ComfortCare Homes residences in 1993, they began to see their intuitive understandings create meaningful impacts on lives outside of their own family.
A Family Tradition of Care
Doug Stark
As owner and chairman of ComfortCare homes since 1995, Doug Stark has continued his family’s legacy of providing compassionate care to people living with dementia diagnoses. Under the leadership of Doug Stark, ComfortCare Homes has grown to include multiple homes in Wichita covering a comprehensive range of care options, as well as licensee locations across the state of Kansas.
Doug was named the 2025 Uncommon Citizen by the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce. The award, established in 1974, recognizes individuals who have served their community year after year in an extraordinary capacity.
A native of Wichita, Kansas, he attended Wichita public schools and the University of Kansas. Community and civic involvement are core ethics of Doug Stark. He has served on several regional and local boards and member organizations, including the Wichita Downtown Rotary and the Alzheimer’s Association where he was board chair. He was a Big Brother for 12 years, and served on the board of Kansas Health Ethics as treasurer, vice president, and president.
In the Community
We encourage our staff to build community wherever they are, whether that’s in one of our residences, or on the board of a local civic organization. Our executive team leads by example, participating in dozens of community, charitable and civic boards and conferences, including the Alzheimer’s Association, Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force, the YMCA and the Kansas Education Conference on Dementia.
Get Involved
A dementia diagnosis doesn't mean that a person stops living or enjoying community. Research has shown that social withdrawal can play a large role in the rate of decline in people suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia. At ComfortCare Homes, we strive to keep our residents as socially involved as they'd like to be. Interacting with performers, artists and educators has such a positive effect on residents' moods, which leads to better health and fewer disruptive behaviors.
We regularly host acoustic musicians for short concerts, artists for painting or craft demonstrations, and other creative community members. Each time our residents have an opportunity to remember old songs or perform a task with confidence, it creates a moment of joy that can last much longer than a moment.
If you're a musician, artist, performer or someone with a desire to make an impact with this community, we encourage you to make a connection with your local ComfortCare Homes. Or, if you'd rather join the larger fight to find a cure for Alzheimer's, please consider volunteering or donating to your local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Together we can make a difference.
