Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants The Board of Directors Emeritus Corporation: We consent to incorporation by reference in the registration statements (No. 333-60323 and 333-05965) on Form S-8 and (No. 333-20805) on Form S-3 of Emeritus Corporation of our reports dated February 23, 2000, relating to the consolidated balance sheets of Emeritus Corporation and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1999 and 1998, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive operations, shareholders' equity (deficit), and cash flows and the related schedule for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 1999, which reports appear in the December 31, 1999 annual report on Form 10-K of Emeritus Corporation. Our report on the consolidated financial statements refers to a change in method of accounting for start-up costs and organization costs. /s/ KPMG LLP Seattle, Washington March 29, 2000