Across dozens of Pegasus Senior Living communities nationwide, residents are reading the same books, discussing them together, and competing against one another in Olympic-style events, all because someone took the time to ask what they missed most. That person is Benjamin Chapman, an Engagement Specialist who joined the Pegasus team in late 2024 and has spent his time since then building programs that begin with a single, yet crucial step: listening.
Under Keisha Moore, VP of Engagement for Pegasus, and partnering with Engagement Specialist Melanie Basham at the corporate level, Benjamin works alongside Life Enrichment Directors, Memory Care Directors, and community leadership to develop and implement programming that is inclusive and driven by what residents themselves actually want. His approach took shape through direct work with community members living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, where he saw how the right activity at the right time could surface special memories, elicit laughter, restore confidence, or simply give someone a sense of belonging.
The idea for a Pegasus Reading Circle came directly from residents. They wanted to connect through stories and shared discussion that reached beyond their community’s walls. The program gives residents across multiple locations a way to engage with one another through books and shared conversation, building relationships that extend far beyond any single community.
The Olympic-style Pegasus Playoff events came about a bit differently. A fellow Pegasus employee, Tyrice McLaren, the Life Enrichment Director at The Legacy at Falcon Point in Katy, TX, brought the concept to Benjamin with the goal of creating friendly competition across communities, who then developed it into a structured program, giving residents a variety of chances to compete, participate, and connect with peers in other locations. The two programs reflect the same underlying process: an idea surfaces, gets shaped through collaboration, and gets built around what residents actually want to do.
What Happens When the Right Program Reaches the Right Person
The results Benjamin sees are not always immediate or obvious. A resident who rarely speaks might share a strong opinion during a book discussion. Someone who has been doubting their abilities might finish a game and laugh at themselves for ever questioning it.
“Most ideas begin with listening to residents and our teams about what they miss — conversation, competition, learning new things, or being part of something shared,” Benjamin said. “The Pegasus Reading Circle grew from residents wanting to connect through stories, and the Olympic-style Pegasus Playoff events came from one of our Life Enrichment Directors. You see residents step forward and surprise themselves — someone who rarely speaks shares an opinion, or someone who doubts their abilities laughs as they complete a task they didn’t think they could do. It’s rooted in building genuine relationships, and when you do that, meaningful moments happen all the time.”
Benjamin’s most lasting memories from this work are not tied to any single event. They come from the relationships built along the way, taking groups to art shows, learning alongside residents who have studied a subject for decades, and the moments of shared laughter that no program outline could anticipate.
At Pegasus Senior Living, Residents Come First
The Pegasus Reading Circle and Pegasus Playoff events are two examples of what happens when programming is built around the people it serves. Benjamin’s work with Pegasus Senior Living reflects our company-wide approach to life enrichment: ask what residents want, collaborate with the teams who know them best, and design experiences that give people something worth showing up for.
With communities across the country offering a variety of assisted living, memory care, and independent living services, Pegasus Senior Living is guided by a mission to celebrate and enhance all lives with kindness and integrity. To find a community near you or learn more about our programming, contact us today.