On Friday, March 22, community leaders and leaders from Morning Pointe Senior Living broke ground for the new The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, East Hamilton, expected to open in early 2025.
The memory care community will be the 41st Morning Pointe Senior Living community and the 25th in Tennessee. The property in development is located 1775 Generations Way in Ooltewah, just off East Brainerd Road by the new Publix Super Market at the Shops at Enclave. This is Phase II of the senior living campus, offering a continuum of care services along with Morning Pointe of East Hamilton, which will transition to an assisted living-only community.
“This incredibly important project will provide more vital services for the aging population in our county,” shared Tennessee State Representative for District 30 Esther Helton, who spoke at the groundbreaking. “Morning Pointe of East Hamilton provides these cherished members of our community with the opportunity to remain close to their families and their friends while receiving the quality care and attention they deserve. The Lantern at Morning Pointe represents more than just an expansion – it’s a commitment to improving the lives of those with Alzheimer’s here in Hamilton County.”
After a welcome from Morning Pointe Senior Living co-founder and CEO Franklin Farrow, the East Hamilton High School Choir sang the opening song, followed by an invocation from Sterling Jetton, pastor at the Shelter Church down the road. The East Hamilton High JROTC led out in a flag ceremony and pledge of allegiance.
Morning Pointe Senior Living Co-founder and President Greg A. Vital gave an overview of the East Hamilton campus project. The single-level memory care community will be an estimated 45,000 square feet and feature 60 apartments. These will encompass two levels of care – Lamplight for early stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and Lantern for the more advanced stages.
“With the growth in East Hamilton County five or six years ago, we started seeing the numbers, and we said, ‘We have to serve that area,’” said Vital. “Hamilton County in Tennessee is a great place to live, work and retire, and what we’re seeing more and more is people are moving here, but they’re moving their moms and dads here because of the quality of health, the quality of life, the employment opportunities, not just for their immediate families but for their extended families.”
Other speakers at the event included Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce CEO Charles Wood, Hamilton County District 7 Commissioner Lee Helton, Hamilton County Commissioner Chair for District 10 Jeff Eversole, Hamilton County Trustee Bill Hullander, and Manager of Programs and Education for the Alzheimer’s Association Amy French.
Memory care programming will include the Best Friends™ Approach, Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care, Meaningful Day™ purposeful programming, music therapy, art therapy, and cuddle therapy. There will also be a strong focus on clinical care with physical and occupational therapies, life enrichment and wellness offerings and intergenerational activities. In addition, residents will benefit from Morning Pointe’s Farm to Table program with local, farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients.
Founded in 1997, Morning Pointe Senior Living operates assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in five southeastern states. The company is based in Hamilton County. Other communities in the county are located in Chattanooga, Collegedale, and Hixson.
The new The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, East Hamilton will create approximately 60 permanent healthcare positions and is estimated to have a positive economic impact of more than $25 million annually, considering payroll, property taxes and local purchase of goods and services.
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.
