OOLTEWAH, Tenn. (July 18, 2025) – A huge crowd gathered from across Hamilton County to celebrate a milestone years in the making—the grand opening of The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, East Hamilton. The new memory care community completes the full-service senior living campus, now offering both assisted living and memory care services in side-by-side buildings.
Local, county, and state leaders joined Morning Pointe Senior Living in marking the momentous occasion, celebrating not only the economic impact for Hamilton County but also the expanded care options now available for families facing the challenges of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Kim Lepard, a retired RN and Morning Pointe family member, shared a deeply personal story about her father’s journey and how she thought she could do it all, but after 2 years of caring for her Dad with his memory care needs, she realized she needed help. “I’ve been able to go visit my children and grandchildren who live out of state. The period that my Dad was living with us, I was unable to do that, and now I’m able to be the daughter, a grandmother, and mom again, so it’s been freedom for us that we can enjoy other things and know that he’s well taken care of.”
Other speakers echoed the importance of this specialized memory care expansion, including Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, Hamilton County Commission Chair Lee Helton (District 7), Bill Hullander, Hamilton County Trustee, Ben Cairns with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, and Amy French with the Tennessee Department of Health Office of Healthy Aging.
Morning Pointe Co-Founder Greg A. Vital also shared heartfelt remarks:
“This community represents more than just bricks and mortar—it’s a promise to families that their loved ones can receive compassionate, specialized care right in the neighborhoods they call home. As East Hamilton continues to grow, Morning Pointe is proud to grow with it, providing services that honor aging with dignity and purpose.”
Special thanks to the Silverdale Baptist PrimeTimers Choir, American Legion Post 95 Color Guard, and the Scouting America Troops 82 & 1147 from Harrison United Methodist Church for helping make the grand opening ceremony memorable.
A New Chapter for Memory Care in East Hamilton
The Lantern, located at 1775 Generations Way (9700 Block E. Brainerd Road), includes 60 apartments and offers two levels of memory care:
The Lamplight is a large open area for residents with early-to-moderate stage memory loss
The Lantern wing for individuals needing more advanced memory support
Apartment options include studio and companion (two-bedroom) layouts.
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.
A Broader Impact
The new community brings 60 new healthcare jobs and an estimated $25 million in annual economic impact through local partnerships, payroll, and services.
Its neighboring sister community—Morning Pointe of East Hamilton Assisted Living, located at 1776 Generations Way—is also accepting new residents for its newly renovated wing, the former Lantern memory care area, which is now home to Signature Studio apartments, cozy gathering spaces, a coffee station, and a library.
Both communities offer:
24/7 licensed care staff
Medication management
Farm-to-Table dining
On-site physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Life enrichment and intergenerational programs
About Morning Pointe
Morning Pointe Senior Living, founded in 1997 by Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow, operates 42 communities across five Southeastern states. The company is headquartered in Ooltewah, TN, and is committed to enriching the lives of seniors and their families.
For more information, visit morningpointe.com.
To learn more about Morning Pointe of East Hamilton or to schedule a tour, call 423-973-0003.
