Peconic Landing’s memory support neighborhood, Harbor South, has been recognized for an innovative learning program that is helping people living with dementia build new connections, both in their community and between the synapses in their brains that their memories together.
Pictured Above: SAIDO Supporter Kristen Goodwin, Aglaia Stalb and Claire Dowling at a SAIDO session in Harbor South in the fall of 2025.
The retirement community announced this week that Harbor South has been designated New York’s first SAIDO Learning Model Community by the SAIDO Learning Institute in Japan.
SAIDO Learning was first developed in Japan about 25 years ago, based on the Kumon Method of learning — small-step subject matter worksheets used in elementary schools there.
SAIDO learners participate in simple math exercises, matching numbered chips to a board filled with numbers, and reading aloud and answering questions about the reading. The difficulty of the exercises is adjusted based on the learner’s level and pace of learning, with an emphasis on encouraging them to develop confidence through their work.
This designation, approved by the Kumon Learning Therapy Center, makes Peconic Landing one of only six SAIDO Learning Model Communities in the country.
We had a chance to meet some of the participants and staff working on the program at Harbor South last fall.
“They did a study of this program and found that individuals either improved or maintained their cognitive score for a period of six years,” Peconic Landing Director of Health Services Jennifer Drofenik told us in during our visit. “For someone living with Alzheimer’s, to stay stable for that long is huge.”
Ms. Drofenik brought the program to Harbor South after learning about it at a conference of continuing care retirement communities in 2024. Peconic Landing staff and leadership told us last fall they are excited that this program involves continuing to learn and socialization between supporters and learners, not new medications.
“In anything we do, we want to minimize pharmacological approaches,” said Peconic Landing CEO Bob Syron. “There are applications for them, but we try to minimize them. So we’ve seen a lot of folks moving to Harbor South and their medications drop and their cognition increases.”
The need for memory care continues to grow as the large cohort of baby boomers reaches an age at which dementia becomes more prevalent. The Alzheimer’s Association projects the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s will nearly double by 2060, and an estimated 426,500 New Yorkers are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
“As the need for memory support grows, Peconic Landing will continue embracing innovative, evidence-based care that enhances quality of life for individuals living with dementia and provides peace of mind for their families,” said Mr. Syron in this week’s announcement.
“This program has been great for our mother,” said Irene Bradley, whose mother participates in SAIDO at Harbor South. “She enjoys the mental challenge and the one-on-one interaction that the exercises promote.”
“It’s good to keep everything moving,” said Harbor South resident Claire Dowling of her SAIDO sessions. “Even when I get stuck, everyone helps. I’m all for it.”
“This is a fun break for me, and I enjoy seeing little improvements and hearing their stories,” Peconic Landing occupational therapist and SAIDO supporter Kristen Goodwin told us after she led a SAIDO session with Ms. Dowling last fall. “Occasionally they’ll share a glimpse from their past. That’s the most interesting part. They all have interesting stories. When they come into the gym for therapy, I don’t really get to hear their stories.”
During the program’s first 18 months, Peconic Landing reports that several participants maintained stable cognitive scores, while others demonstrated measurable improvement. They also documented greater engagement, brighter moods, and renewed interest in hobbies and other meaningful activities during their engagement in SAIDO sessions.
“We had one member who didn’t want to leave his room. He was content sitting in his room, reading his paper, and didn’t really have any interest in socializing,” said Ms. Drofanik. “Now he’s out of his room every day, talking to his fellow residents. He’s reading his paper, but he’s reading it out in the living room, and socializing and engaging, and he’s got this confidence.”
Harbor South is a specialized assisted living neighborhood designed for individuals in the early to middle stages of memory loss, where care is centered on each individual’s life story, interests, and abilities. The neighborhood also offers short-term respite stays for individuals and families in need of temporary support and welcomes direct admissions from the greater community.
The neighborhood will hold an open house on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 2 p.m., when guests can take a tour, meet team members, enjoy light refreshments, and learn more about Harbor South’s approach to dementia care.
To learn more, visit www.peconiclanding.org/memory-support/.
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