Connections: Specialized Memory Care in Sun City West, Arizona

We've Navigated The Stages of Dementia, Too.

Finding memory care in Arizona doesn’t have to be daunting. Our community features the doctor-inspired Connections program. Our signature service is designed to help residents with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia find meaning and comfort. We are here to support families who feel lost.

Our dementia care community provides a stimulating and calming environment. A committed and caring team offers a variety of activities designed to fit the unique needs of those living with memory loss.

We understand the physical and emotional toll caregiving can take on a family. If your loved one’s care needs are beyond your abilities, our dementia care specialists want to help.

Pegasus Senior Living’s Connections program is a unique, research-based program for memory care in Arizona designed to help senior residents with Alzheimer’s and/or dementia in the Sun City West area lead a stimulating life. The program offers a secure environment, a committed and caring team, and a variety of activities designed to fit the unique needs of those living with cognitive decline.

We understand the time, effort, and emotional toll that caregiving can take on a family. If you’re wondering whether your loved one’s care needs are beyond your abilities, Sun City West may be able to help.

Who provides dementia care in the Phoenix area?

Sun City West Assisted Living provides round-the-clock dementia care. It’s one of the most comprehensive memory care programs in Maricopa County.

Our memory care program includes a licensed nurse and specially trained team members. We also provide medication monitoring and assistance with activities of daily living. Some memory facilities may feel like institutions, but our community is designed to be secure and consistent.

Dr. Sandra Petersen’s Connections program sets this community’s memory care apart. Our team includes dementia care specialists and Connections Academy graduates who provide exercise for the brain and body. Personalized care and intentional programming make a difference.

Looking for comprehensive memory care near Surprise, Arizona? Visit Sun City West Assisted Living.

Our Memory Care Program

Is your loved one struggling with a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s?

Are your caregiving duties starting to take a toll? The Sun City West dementia care program can provide an engaging setting that invigorates your loved one’s life. Our memory care community features chef-inspired dining, a knowledgeable team, and programming that is specially designed to stimulate seniors with memory loss.

Our Memory Care Program

Is your loved one struggling with a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s?

Are your caregiving duties starting to take a toll? The Sun City West dementia care program can provide an engaging setting that invigorates your loved one’s life. Our memory care community features chef-inspired dining, a knowledgeable team, and programming specially designed to stimulate seniors with memory loss.

Are you struggling to provide care to a loved one with dementia?

Take time for yourself and use our respite care services to take a much-needed break. Providing care is an overwhelming and heroic undertaking. Give your loved one an opportunity to socialize and live with personalized care while you relax and rejuvenate. Take care of yourself to take care of others. Contact us to arrange short-term solutions.

Connect - Move - Learn

The Connect, Move, Learn sequence is how our memory care community promotes neuroplasticity. The brain can continue producing healthy brain cells despite memory loss. Discover how staying engaged socially, physically, and mentally helps residents find their daily purpose.

Programming that
Makes a Difference

The right community and programming can go a long way in improving your loved one’s quality of life.

The Connections program will support your loved one by:

Engaging the Emotions

Activities like music, art, and social interaction are designed to trigger memory and positive emotions in those struggling with cognitive decline.
Connections can help your loved one stay engaged with:

Encouraging Movement

The connection between the mind and body is well-established in scientific research, and the Connections program encourages physical activity to maximize quality of life. Under careful supervision, Sun City West residents can participate in boxing, walking clubs, and other fitness programs to help them achieve an active body and mind.

Challenging the Brain

Our team is constantly finding ways for residents to engage with new information.

Activities designed for brain stimulation include:

We also provide a variety of brain-healthy foods for residents.

Supporting Socialization

Research shows that socialization with others is critical to the maintenance of mental health and cognition. The process of regular interaction with others can help seniors achieve a better sense of belonging and provide a sense of structure. We provide a variety of group activities that allow residents to foster relationships and connect to others.

Research-Backed Music Therapy for Dementia

Dr. Petersen is the memory care expert who inspires our program. We also partner with evidence-based programs like SingFit. This activity helps promote brain plasticity. We offer music therapy to ignite memories, encourage movement, and unite residents.

Inspired by Experience

Medical Director Dr. Sandra Petersen’s background in the memory care field goes back over 30 years, but it was her own experience that inspired the novel approach of the Connections program.

Over a decade ago, a stroke left her unable to use the left side of her body and connect with language skills; she even had trouble completing a sentence.

“The whole experience gave me not only sympathy, but empathy for those that struggle with cognitive decline,” says Dr. Petersen.

With the help of a brain health specialist, she worked her way back through a variety of techniques designed to rebuild neural pathways, including learning Spanish and ballroom dancing.

Watch to Learn More about Dr. Petersen's Story

“I wondered whether the same principles that helped me, like connecting through emotion, moving, and learning new information, could work to stimulate the brain of someone with cognitive impairment.”

Dr. Petersen

Connections Explained: A Comforting Home

Moving to assisted living or memory care can be difficult for older adults. Our program is working to remove the fear of the unknown and welcome residents home to independence. Senior care has been a personal and professional mission for Dr. Sandra Petersen for over three decades. Her practice focuses on neuroscience and the transformative power of rewiring the brain despite dementia.