Dear Friends,
It is looking like 2023 will be a year filled with change and possibilities. The Morningside Ministries Board of Directors is pursuing a major repositioning of assisted living and skilled nursing on the Morningside at Meadows campus, while also planning an independent living expansion at Morningside at Menger Springs.
Morningside at the Meadows:
The Meadows Community has been in continuous operation since the first building opened in 1961. During this time, thousands of older adults have called this shaded community, in the heart of San Antonio, home. The Morningside Ministries Board wants to ensure this campus thrives well into the future. Therefore, plans are underway to renovate Kaulbach Assisted Living and to build four Green House homes. Work is scheduled to begin on the Kaulbach building around the first of May 2023. The redevelopment will result in 43 assisted living apartments, 17 memory support apartments, 24 private transitional care rooms, and a therapy suite.
The Green House (GH) home concept was developed by Dr. Bill Thomas and Mississippi Methodist Senior Services, who built the first homes in Tupelo, Mississippi. There are now 400 Green House homes operating across the country, but Morningside would be the first to bring GH homes to the San Antonio area. Dr. Thomas’s initial goal was to create a new model that would address what he referred to as the plagues (loneliness, boredom, and helplessness) of long-term care facilities. Green House homes have proven to increase resident and family satisfaction, as well as employee retention. GH homes have also shown to produce excellent clinical outcomes. Green House home construction is also scheduled to begin in early May and will result in four homes with 12 private bedrooms in each home. It is anticipated that two of the homes will be certified for memory support. The institutional model of long-term care is broken, and Green House homes give hope.
Morningside at Menger Springs
Because of demand and continued growth in the Boerne area, plans are underway to expand independent living options on the Menger Springs campus. The first phase will include the addition of 86 apartments located in a unique terrace home design, a third dining venue, a new swimming pool and fitness center, as well as a pickleball court. This project is expected to begin in September. Several years back, the Board had the foresight to purchase eight adjacent acres which fronts Upper Balcones. This property will accommodate these additional offerings.
Both projects strike at the heart of Morningside’s Mission to enhance the dignity and quality of life of older adults, their families, and teammates.
