Stacy Hill has been named the executive director of the new Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence in Chattanooga.
“What we try to do is know them intimately, love them like our family and take one day at a time and make it the best that we can,” said Ms. Hill. “I think our key thing is to treat them with respect, with dignity, with love and again serve with your whole heart.”
That is what Ms. Hill has done for the past four years, leading the team at The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence in Collegedale. And, now she will do the same for the new Center of Excellence coming to Chattanooga. With her nursing background as an RN and her passion for memory care, Ms. Hill is ready for the next stretch of her journey. But first, she had to say goodbye to those she cared for in Collegedale.
"I love those residents and family members; they are like my family, so saying goodbye was very hard,” said Ms. Hill. “I hate to cry. They have impacted my life tremendously. I am a registered nurse, caring and serving is what the Lord has called me to do. These residents weren’t just like patients; they were like family.”
Ms. Hill knew her first job was to connect with her new family and really get to know the residents she will serve and care for along with their families. “You may look at a person that has dementia and say, ‘oh they have dementia,’ but until you put your hands on them, hug them, love them and spend time with them; you can’t serve them,” she said. “I think what we did was treat them just like our parents and fell in love with them, and now I love them.”
With her passion for seniors and her heart to serve, Ms. and her team will now help transform The Lantern at Morning Pointe to the new Center of Excellence in Chattanooga with a resource center for all, building on her success and helping more people who need it.