Construction on The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, East Hamilton, is under way in earnest.
Located 1775 Generations Way in Ooltewah, off East Brainerd Road by the Publix Super Market at the Shops at Enclave, The Lantern represents the expansion of memory care services in the Chattanooga area and the expansion of the Morning Pointe of East Hamilton campus.
The new building is Part II of the campus, next door to Morning Pointe of East Hamilton Assisted Living and Memory Care.
It will be the 41st Morning Pointe Senior Living community and the 25th in Tennessee.
The Lantern is expected to open in early 2025.
Once The Lantern is completed, it will offer a continuum of care services along with Morning Pointe of East Hamilton, which will transition to an assisted living-only community.
A single-level structure, The Lantern at Morning Pointe in East Hamilton 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. Care staff will be specially trained in dementia and Alzheimer’s.
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.
Clinical services will include (but are not limited to):
- Personalized care services with licensed nurses providing oversight of health, wellness and medication management;
- Medication assistance and reminders;
- 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; and
- Accommodations for no-salt-added and reduced-concentrated-sweets diets.
On-site physical, occupational and speech therapy services will be available. Programming will include life enrichment such as arts and crafts, wellness offerings such as exercise classes and intergenerational activities, such as partnering with local schools. Residents will also benefit from Morning Pointe’s Farm to Table program with local, farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients.
“It’s exciting to see the construction moving forward on our newest building right here in Hamilton County,” said Morning Pointe Senior Living Co-founder and President Greg A. Vital. “Tennessee is a wonderful state to live in, and as the demand for housing has risen in our area, we also have to recognize the increased need for services for our also-growing population of seniors. Morning Pointe is proud to be expanding our memory care services here, and seniors
and their families in our greater community will benefit.”
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, officials said.