{"id":4018,"date":"2021-09-17T07:15:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-17T14:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pegasusseniorliving.com\/the-village-at-rancho-solano\/?p=4018"},"modified":"2026-01-04T11:48:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T18:48:05","slug":"new-connections-memory-care-fairfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pegasusseniorliving.com\/the-village-at-rancho-solano\/blog\/2021\/09\/17\/new-connections-memory-care-fairfield\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Ways the Connections Program is Taking Care of Those Living With Alzheimer\u2019s and Dementia in Fairfield, CA"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Alzheimer\u2019s Care? Dementia Care? It can be difficult memorizing the semantics of what you need when taking care of a loved one with memory loss. At The Village at Rancho Solano<\/a> in Fairfield, CA, we call it memory care<\/strong>, and we\u2019re proud to announce this service is now available.<\/p>

Inspired by Pegasus Senior Living<\/a> Health and Wellness Consultant Dr. Sandra Petersen\u2019s<\/a> personal experiences, we create meaning in the lives of those living with Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia through the Connections program<\/a>.<\/p>

What is the Connections program?<\/h2>

Over a decade ago, Dr. Petersen experienced a stroke, affecting the left side of her body. She couldn\u2019t walk or speak and had a hard time with her memory.<\/p>

Through rehabilitation with brain health specialists, she learned about the positive effects of neuroplasticity<\/a> treatment, a way of creating new neural pathways<\/a> around the damaged sections of her brain.<\/p>

Doctors encouraged Dr. Petersen to challenge her mind, so she began learning Spanish. Recognizing the importance of challenging her body, she took up ballroom dancing to regain mobility. After two years, she was back to working, walking without assistance, and ready to tackle a new way of providing care to people experiencing dementia.<\/p>

\u00a0\u201c<\/em>If it could work post-stroke, why couldn\u2019t the same idea of neuroplasticity work in memory care? And so I began thinking about how I might be able to take those neuroplastic concepts, those of connecting through emotions, moving and providing new information to retain and gain skills.\u201d – Dr. Petersen<\/p><\/blockquote>

How does the Connections program benefit memory care at The Village at Rancho Solano?<\/h3>

Associates in our secure memory care environment complete specialized training to navigate best practices for memory loss. The Connections philosophy stands on four pillars that provide structure to daily living.<\/p>

1. Engaging the Emotions<\/h4>

Often, people are diagnosed with a form of dementia and tend to withdraw from the hobbies and social activities they used to enjoy. The fact is, they still enjoy being social and feeling a sense of purpose. It\u2019s just up to us to bring those emotions out. Our associates accomplish this through guiding hobbies such as:<\/p>