Photo: Melissa Bartlett, Lantern program director on the current memory care wing of Morning Pointe at Happy Valley, leading a flower activity with two residents.
In response to the growing need for memory care, Morning Pointe Senior Living announces the campus expansion of Morning Pointe at Happy Valley in Walker County, Georgia, with a new community, The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Happy Valley.
The Lantern will hold a public groundbreaking on Tuesday, May 27, at 11:30 a.m.
The community 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.
Growing Need for Memory Care
The need for memory care and dementia care services across the United States has been growing. According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2025 annual Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. And despite a small drop in incidence among seniors, the total number of cases is continuing to grow as the overall population ages.
With the increase in dementia comes a greater need for clinical care and support for families of individuals facing a recent diagnosis. The demand has grown for secure and dementia-friendly residences where these individuals can find coordinated care tailored for their stage of disease, as well as meaningful interactions and activities suited to their needs, interests and abilities.
For all these reasons, the Morning Pointe at Happy Valley campus in Rossville is about to expand the local Alzheimer’s and dementia care options, adding a new, free-standing Alzheimer’s/memory care community next to the current building, which will transition to all assisted living. The two communities will offer a broader continuum of care for seniors with varying needs.
“At Morning Pointe, we understand that behind every memory care need is a family searching for answers, reassurance and hope,” said Greg A. Vital, Morning Pointe Senior Living co-founder and president. “Expanding our Happy Valley campus means we can walk alongside more families in North Georgia, offering comfort, connection, and expert care at different stages of the Alzheimer’s or dementia journey. This is about more than building a new community — it’s about building trust and being a source of strength for the people who need us most.”
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Adding Memory Care Services: The Lantern at Morning Pointe of Happy Valley
Expected to open in early 2026, The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence at Happy Valley is located at 2937 Happy Valley Road in Rossville.
The Lantern will be a single-level building with 60 apartments encompassing two distinct levels of care. These are Lamplight—a large area for residents with early-stage Alzheimer’s and dementia who are more active—and Lantern, a more intimate and quiet space designed for more advanced stages. Care staff will be specially trained on the different stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia and how to care for each resident’s needs with compassion and comfort.
Programming will include a variety of life enrichment such as arts and crafts, wellness offerings like exercise classes, and intergenerational activities, such as partnering with local schools (including neighbors Ridgeland High School and Rossville Middle School). Residents will benefit from Morning Pointe’s Farm to Table dining program with local, farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients. And memory care specific offerings will include the Best Friends™ Approach, Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach™ to Care, Meaningful Day™ purposeful programming, music therapy, art therapy and cuddle therapy.
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Other Services and Amenities at The Lantern
Services and amenities at The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, Happy Valley will also include:
- Licensed nurses providing oversight of health, wellness and medication management
- Single-level living
- Licensed, clinical or care staff available 24 hours a day
- 24-hour personalized care services
- Periodic check-ins
- Personal grooming assistance, such as bathing or getting dressed
- Assistance with transferring to a bed or chair
- Escorting to meals and events
- Incontinence management
- On-site occupational, physical and speech therapy
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About Morning Pointe
The Lantern at Morning Pointe at Happy Valley will be the 43rd Morning Pointe Senior Living community and the third in Georgia. It is expected to open in early 2026.
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. In addition to the Happy Valley campus, Morning Pointe operates Morning Pointe of Calhoun Assisted Living and Memory Care in Georgia. For more information about Morning Pointe Senior Living or the Happy Valley campus, 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 nursing scholarships and caregiver support.
