The Margaret T. Morris Center has been a cornerstone of dementia care in Northern Arizona since 1999, providing specialized assisted living services exclusively tailored for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and memory loss. As the community’s sole assisted living center dedicated solely to dementia care, it stands out for its depth of experience, longstanding management, and the commitment of its staff. The Center’s status as one of Arizona’s oldest specialty programs reflects its distinctive leadership in the field and its focus on the well-being of residents and their families through a holistic, personalized approach.
Central to the philosophy at the Margaret T. Morris Center is the encouragement of self-reliance and independence within a safe and secure environment. Residents are supported by certified caregivers who receive ongoing, dementia-specific training. The community is designed with open spaces that invite exploration, and its innovative neighborhood-style building design helps prevent isolation and depression, fostering a sense of community and relationship-building among residents and care partners. With a one-acre, nationally award-winning sensory walking garden, the environment is carefully crafted to stimulate the senses and provide meaningful, fulfilling experiences every day.
Healthcare at the Margaret T. Morris Center is provided by a dedicated medical team that ensures each resident receives excellent, individualized attention. The team is led by Medical Director Dr. Kara Johnson, who makes rounds twice each week and is available on-call around the clock, embodying the center’s philosophy of using the least amount of medication necessary to support residents’ quality of life. Amber McCabe, MSN, RN, MSL, serves as Director of Nursing, bringing a dual master’s degree in nursing and leadership with extensive expertise in seniors, dementia, and hospice care. Amber works full-time and is available 24/7 to manage residents’ well-being in close coordination with the medical director, ensuring that each individual’s care needs are actively and compassionately met.
The Margaret T. Morris Center delivers a comprehensive array of services, including healthcare monitoring, medication management, personal care, awake-at-night staff for resident safety, chef-prepared nutritious meals, daily housekeeping and laundry, and a robust life enrichment program. The full life enrichment curriculum honors each resident’s past while encouraging the development of current abilities through music, dance, art and painting classes, daily exercise, outings, cognitive games, pet therapy, and spiritual services. This commitment to engaging programming reflects the center’s mission to create purpose and joy in every resident’s daily life.
Families can also access specialized respite care for temporary, scheduled support, ensuring flexibility as loved ones’ needs change. Additional optional services may be arranged, such as access to the on-site beauty salon, the Foot Angel program, vision and dental services, and transportation, as well as medical support should therapy, home health, or hospice care be needed. The Center offers all-inclusive pricing, so costs remain consistent through varying levels of care, providing financial clarity and peace of mind.
As a nonprofit organization, the Margaret T. Morris Center reinvests all profits into its programming to benefit residents, prioritizing continuous improvement and innovation. Hands-on caregivers are focused solely on providing daily care and support and are not burdened with cooking or cleaning, allowing them to more attentively respond to the individual needs of each resident. The longevity of both the staff and program management is a testament to the positive, supportive environment cultivated for families and team members alike. Through its award-winning design, highly qualified leadership, and commitment to best practices in dementia care, the Margaret T. Morris Center remains a beacon of hope and support for families navigating the challenges of memory loss.