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 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 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, said officials.
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.”
Expected to open in early 2026, The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence at Happy Valley is 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 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.
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