Photo: Director of Nursing Cindy Tucker with two smiling residents at The Lantern at Morning Pointe of East Hamilton
The doors of The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, East Hamilton, Tennessee, stood open for the first time on Tuesday, May 20, to welcome dozens of new residents.
Family members, Morning Pointe associates and volunteers assisted with the initial move-ins at the all-memory care community, carrying residents’ familiar furniture and boxes of belongings to make the new building a comfortable home.
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East Hamilton Lantern Now Serving Residents and Families
These seniors transitioned from the memory care wing at the next-door Morning Pointe of East Hamilton Assisted Living and Memory Care to the brand-new building completely dedicated to serving those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Here, they can benefit from the community’s two distinct levels of memory care. The Lamplight neighborhood is a large area for residents with early-stage Alzheimer’s and dementia who are more active, while the Lantern wing provides a more intimate and quiet space designed for more advanced stages.
“We have been anticipating this day for a long time, and it is wonderful to see it come to fruition,” said Lindsey Hughes, executive director at The Lantern. “With this campus expansion we will be able to serve more seniors living with dementia and support more families. The early-stage memory care on our Lamplight wing is a welcome addition to the continuum of care here in the Chattanooga area.”
Among these first residents was Jake Davenport, a former sheet metal salesman who has been a resident at Morning Pointe since March.
“We knew he needed the hands-on supervision of a memory care community,” said Davenport’s daughter, Kim Lepard. “Everybody here has been very knowledgeable about dementia. My dad is happy here.”
The group from Morning Pointe’s original East Hamilton building is only the first wave to officially become residents at the memory care community, located at 1775 Generations Way (9700 Block E. Brainerd Road). However, more families who are new to Morning Pointe have reserved apartments for their loved ones.
The new one-level memory care community offers 60 apartments. Several floor plan choices include studios and companion two-bedroom apartments, such as for couples. It is continuing to reserve apartments. To tour the community, learn more, or make a reservation for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia, call 423-973-0003.
“What an exciting day, and a chance to bring more senior services to our rapidly growing Hamilton County area,” said Greg A. Vital, Morning Pointe Senior Living co-founder and president. “We are privileged to be able to serve more seniors and their families, offering expanded memory care services and more assisted living apartments on campus.”
The Lantern at Morning Pointe will bring 60 new healthcare jobs to the area and is projected to contribute more than $25 million annually in economic impact through local partnerships, payroll and the purchase of goods and services.
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Campus Services
With the growth of the campus, the original building at 1776 Generations Way is now officially Morning Pointe of East Hamilton Assisted Living. It, too, is taking reservations for new residents. It is starting renovations of the former memory care wing, transforming it into Signature Studio apartments, cozy gathering spaces, a coffee station and a library. For inquiries, call 423-212-1208, or stop by the community.
As Morning Pointe Senior Living communities, both sides of the extended East Hamilton campus offer:
- Licensed nurses providing oversight of health, wellness and medication management
- Licensed, clinical or care staff available 24 hours a day
- Personal grooming assistance, such as bathing or getting dressed
- Assistance with transferring to a bed or chair
- Escorting to meals and events
- Accommodations for no-salt-added and reduced-concentrated-sweets diets
- Pharmacy services
- Transportation services for medical appointments
- A beauty salon/barbershop
- A 24-hour emergency response system
- On-site physical, occupational and speech therapy services
- Life enrichment activities such as arts and crafts, wellness offerings like exercise classes, and intergenerational activities, including partnering with local schools
- Morning Pointe’s Farm to Table dining program with local, farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients
Memory care offerings at The Lantern include the Best Friends™ Approach, Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach™ to Care, Meaningful Day™ purposeful programming, music therapy, art therapy and cuddle therapy.
About Morning Pointe
The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, East Hamilton is now the 42nd Morning Pointe Senior Living community.
Founded in 1997 by healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital (president) and J. Franklin Farrow (CEO), Morning Pointe Senior Living operates assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in five states. Other locations in Hamilton County include Chattanooga, Hixson, and Collegedale. For more information, visit morningpointe.com.
The philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living is the Morning Pointe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to provide clinical scholarships and caregiver support. For more information, visit morningpointefoundation.com.
