In 1996, Greg Vital and Franklin Farrow founded Morning Pointe Senior Living with little more than a business plan and a mission to provide quality senior care. Twenty years later, the Chattanooga, TN-based healthcare entrepreneurs are opening new doors in Louisville and Russell, Kentucky marking eleven communities in the Bluegrass State, centering the company’s approach on more choices for residents and families.
“The way we do senior living today isn’t how we will do it tomorrow,” says Greg Vital, president and CEO of Morning Pointe. “Our Baby Boomer generation is one that requires new, innovative approaches that more closely meet their needs.”
Celebrating Choice in Senior Living
According to The State of Aging 2015 Report of the Institute of Aging, by 2030, the older adult population is projected to increase to one-fourth of the commonwealth’s total population. This growing demographic comes with a set of unique needs to aging care, with Alzheimer’s memory care at
the forefront of concerns for older adults, caregivers and families. In 2016, more than 69,000 Kentuckians aged 65 and older were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association; in 2025, this number is expected to increase by nearly 25 percent.
Morning Pointe’s latest expansion addresses the growing 60+ population, with two new freestanding Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence communities in Russell and Louisville providing more choices for senior living and memory care in addition to quality services that prioritize safety,
accessibility, independence and The Meaningful Day™, personal and purposeful memory care programming. The new Lantern in Russell addresses a broad spectrum of memory-related conditions, while the new Lamplight program in Louisville provides “early memory care” options for families navigating a recent health diagnosis. Both also feature SimpleC™ memory care technology fostering positive memories and stimulating engagement.
Building Bridges in the Bluegrass
Since opening its first community in Kentucky more than 10 years ago, Morning Pointe’s commitment to Alzheimer’s memory care has gone beyond the doors of its senior living communities. Morning Pointe has partnered with healthcare providers, as well as universities and nonprofits across the commonwealth. Through its long-standing relationship with the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, Morning Pointe supports research initiatives and connecting expert care providers with a statewide mission to advance aging care and provide support resources for families.
Morning Pointe is also building bench strength across the Southeast as it stimulates a robust workforce equipped to address the complex and growing needs of older adults. The senior healthcare provider is opening gateways to the future for area nursing students practicing in the field of geriatric care through the Morning Pointe Foundation’s two new scholarship programs at Ashland Community and Technical College and Bluegrass Community and Technical College.
“A long life is often met with a need for more care choices,” says Vital. “We see this as an opportunity to help seniors age comfortably while stimulating a vibrant workforce that is dedicated to providing quality care.”
A Culture of Compassion
In 2017, in honor of Morning Pointe’s 20th anniversary, its senior campuses launched the “Make Your Mark” campaign – a yearlong volunteerism initiative to give back 20,000 hours of service. Inspiring the project was the unique generosity of Morning Pointe residents and associates who use their talents and skills to make a difference in the lives of others.
“These random acts of kindness demonstrated by our seniors, leadership, volunteers, associates and partners are a true embodiment of what Morning Pointe is all about,” says Vital. “This commitment to serving others can be witnessed in every aspect of our organization, and this is something to be proud of.”
As Morning Pointe tailors its quality care services to the shifting needs of seniors across Kentucky, some things will remain the same – a compassionate, faith-based culture that puts residents, employees and community first.
“What unites us all is our mission and a commitment to compassion with a Judeo-Christian spirit,” says Mandy Taylor, RN, Mercer County resident and Kentucky regional vice president of operations. “For us, it is a blessing to have the opportunity to celebrate the lives of seniors every single day.”
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