Morning Pointe Senior Living is increasing its focus on memory care by expanding services in three of its communities. Co-Founder and CEO Franklin Farrow states that there is a growing need for memory care within the markets served by Morning Pointe.
The company, based in Ooltewah, Tennessee, is currently in the process of expanding communities in Danville, Kentucky; and Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tennessee, to include both assisted living and memory care services.
The expansions will be completed in two phases, with Morning Pointe of Danville already working on its second phase. The plan is to relocate assisted living residents to a new building once the first building reaches 85% to 90% occupancy, and then convert the vacated space into a dedicated wing for memory care.
Morning Pointe aims to complete the expansions within the next year, with Danville finishing in September, Knoxville by the end of 2024, and Chattanooga by the end of the first quarter.
With over 40 communities in five states, Morning Pointe offers memory care programs such as Lamplight for those in the early stages of dementia and the Lantern Program for those with higher memory care needs. These programs include therapy, life enrichment activities, wellness assistance, and intergenerational interactions.
According to a press release from Morning Pointe, there are currently 81,000 elderly individuals in Kentucky living with Alzheimer’s, signaling a growing demand for memory care services in the region.
Farrow emphasizes the importance of responding to the increasing need for services, stating, “We go do an independent feasibility study to verify that the agent and demographics are supportive in that market before expanding our services.”
