A Home for the Aged, Opening in June
by Beth Riner, Messenger Staff Writer
A generous offer from the son of a former client has allowed Michelle Morrison, owner of Compassionate Home Care & Community Services, to open a home for the aged in June of 2023.
The new business expansion, Serenity on the Farm, is located on a 2,000-acre farm in Sweeten’s Cove, about 20 minutes from Monteagle.
“We had a client we had taken care of for seven years and after her death, her son asked if we could do anything with her home,” Morrison said.
That client was Mrs. Mildred Chalupsky, the widow of Judge Fred Chalupsky of South Pittsburg, Tenn.
Rather than see her house fall into disrepair, her son agreed to lease the house to Morrison, who will run a private home for the aged.
“If he didn’t have trust in what we do, he wouldn’t have given us this opportunity,” Morrison said, noting that Serenity on the Farm will be different from an assisted-living facility.
“It’s a house—a home setting,” she explained. “It’s to provide a way for seniors to lead a happy, self-directed life in a supported environment.
Morrison is currently renovating the 3200-square-foot ranch-style brick farmhouse.
“By the time we’re done, it will pretty much be completely renovated,” she said. The home will feature a large gathering room with a cathedral ceiling for the residents as well as a fully-stocked library from the former owner’s personal collection. There is also a swimming pool.
“It’s beautiful down there,” Morrison said. “It’s breathtaking.”
She is currently accepting applications for potential residents of the home, which has four bedrooms. Plans are for one private room with the others being semi-private for two residents. Residents will be able to personalize their rooms, even bringing their own furniture should they desire.
Morrison plans to create a “Family Wall” with pictures of the residents’ families and important moments from their lives.
Services offered to residents include staff on site twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; a nurse on call every day; personal care and grooming; regular cosmetologist and barber visits; housekeeping; laundry; freshly prepared meals; medication assistance; and twenty-four-hour security. Additional activities like crafting, aquatic therapy, gardening, strengthening exercises, and memory stimulation are also planned.
Morrison, a Grundy County native, sees Serenity on the Farm as a logical extension of her successful home care business.
“Our home care agency has been open for five years, but I have 26 years of medical experience,” she said. She currently has about 45 employees, who work with about 70 clients. All employees pass background checks and drug screenings and complete on-going training based on clients’ needs.
“Serenity on the Farm will provide a new service for our clients once they are ready to leave home,” she said.
Interested persons can contact Morrison at (423) 403-4062 or (423) 488-1847 to set up an initial assessment to see if they would be a good fit for the home. In addition to seniors, Morrison said they may also be able accommodate disabled persons or provide hospice or even respite care.
She will host an Open House in June.