Local singer/songwriter Shawnessey Cargile performs for an audience of Morning Pointe residents
Morning Pointe Senior Living and SoundCorps have joined forces to bring local Sidewalk Stages street performers to three Morning Pointe assisted living and memory care communities. Up to nine street performers will offer outdoor, socially distanced musical performances every weekend through the fall season at Morning Pointe of East Hamilton, Morning Pointe of Collegedale at Greenbriar Cove and Morning Pointe of Hixson.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Morning Pointe always encouraged music therapy and musician volunteers in our resident communities. We are excited to work with SoundCorps to bring live music back to our communities in some form,” said Rob Pollard, regional vice president of operations for Morning Pointe. “Music has a profound ability to connect people, and our residents consistently look forward to live musical performances from volunteers. These performances will not only lift residents’ spirits, they will also allow us to support local artists—a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
Officials said, "Founded in 1996 by healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and J. Franklin Farrow, Morning Pointe operates 35 assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities across the Southeast, including six locations in Chattanooga, Collegedale, Hixson and Ooltewah. In compliance with state and federal COVID-19 regulations, Morning Pointe has restricted visitor access to its communities in order to protect residents’ and associates’ health and safety. However, campuses continue to provide residents with life enrichment programming, including music therapy, pet therapy, and intergenerational programming with local schools and home schools, all achieved through virtual and socially responsible means."
“Residents of senior living centers have gone months without in-person visitation while many local musicians have gone months without performing for live audiences,” said SoundCorps Executive Director Stratton Tingle. “Our partnership with Morning Pointe has come at the perfect time to bring joy to lonely seniors and paychecks to stressed musicians.”