2.5 Years at Pegasus Saddlebrook Memory Care -- An Honest ReviewMy loved one has been a resident at this facility for two and a half years. This review therefore reflects a sustained, close observation of daily life rather than a first impression or the perspective of a company doing business with Saddlebrook or Pegasus.
Leadership Change and New Pricing Model
Before Pegasus assumed management, the facility charged a straightforward monthly fee. Price adjustments occurred only if a resident became incontinent, along with a modest annual increase. An investment company later purchased the property and brought in Pegasus to manage operations. Pegasus took full control in February 2026 and promptly introduced a tiered, points-based pricing system. Under this model, residents are evaluated quarterly and points are assigned according to care needs. Many of the items scored, however, are simply the ordinary symptoms that accompany the progression of dementia. The system feels less like specialized memory care and more like an assisted-living billing structure layered onto a memory-care setting. Routine decline is treated primarily as a justification for higher charges rather than as the very reason families seek memory care in the first place. Memory care is frequently the final residential option available to a family; it is disheartening to watch normal dementia-related needs used to drive costs upward.
Staff Turnover and Management
Staff turnover has been extremely high--approximately 200 percent during our time here. Management is generally willing to listen to concerns, yet meaningful follow-through is rare. Over two and a half years, something as fundamental as regular bed-sheet changes has occurred only about ten times. When basic, recurring tasks are not handled consistently, it becomes difficult to trust that more significant issues will be addressed when they arise. Caregiver quality is uneven. Some staff members are attentive and genuinely caring--LaKeisha on nights, Evony on days, and both Judiths stand out as excellent. Others, particularly on weekends, spend large portions of their shifts at the nurses' station on their phones, performing only the bare minimum. Because nursing staff has turned over so frequently, it has been nearly impossible to form any reliable impression of their skill or consistency.
Dining Experience
The facility's website portrays an exceptional, well-run community. We were specifically promised that neuroplasticity programs would be implemented to benefit residents. I have neither seen any evidence of such programming nor been informed of related staff training. In practice, management appears focused on remaining operational rather than delivering on the image it markets.
The Flood
In June the facility flooded. Residents endured loud dehumidifiers running continuously in their rooms, construction workers coming and going, and confusion about the location of their own rooms. Many were temporarily relocated. Throughout this upheaval, no grace period was applied to the points-based pricing system. Charges continued to accumulate even while residents' routines were completely disrupted. What troubled me most was the clear prioritization of new sales over the needs of current residents who required temporary accommodations. The bottom line appeared to take precedence over resident well-being.
The Sales Process
Prospective families should be aware that the sales representative will tell them what they want to hear and present everything in the most favorable light during tours and the signing process. Promises are readily made and frequently left unfulfilled.
What Is Good
The laundry staff member, Ella, deserves genuine recognition. She is kind, respectful, and treats residents with authentic care. If caregiving staff observed and emulated her interactions, their own work would likely become more meaningful and residents would benefit. There are other capable caregivers as well, yet the less dedicated ones tend to set the prevailing tone.
Bottom Line
We believed this would be our loved one's final move. When small but essential matters--regular sheet changes, consistent showers--repeatedly fall through the cracks, confidence that larger emergencies will be handled competently inevitably erodes. If you love your family member, look carefully elsewhere before committing to this community. Ask direct questions about staff turnover, request references, read a wide range of reviews, and inquire specifically about how the facility approaches and manages care for residents whose needs resemble those of your loved one. Those details make a real difference. read more
