Sep. 3—LaRay Ramey, executive director of Dalton's Southern Haven and Walnut Creek personal care homes, says they are special.

"We are able to give more personal care," Ramey said. "We have two people (in each facility) around the clock. During the day, I'm in and out, and our chefs are cross-trained as caregivers, so we have a pretty high ratio of caregivers to residents."

Southern Haven can house up to 13 residents and Walnut Creek up to 16.

Walnut Creek opened two years ago. Southern Haven was founded several years ago but recently reopened after a complete remodel.

Both are owned by Lighthouse Personal Care Homes (https://lighthousepch.com).

Both facilities are open to individuals with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other memory issues.

Ramey is the former program manager for the Alzheimer's Association in Northwest Georgia, which is how she met Lighthouse co-founder Jamie Robinson.

"They were planning Southern Haven and they were asking my advice on different issues," she said.

Walnut Creek is decorated in a Dalton motif, with each suite named after a popular road in town, and historic photos dotting the walls, she said.

"Southern Haven has more of a farm theme," Ramey said. "The suites are named for farm animals. We are on six acres and have a pond and it is more of a farm house."

The staff are all dementia trained and the facilities have all of the amenities of home living.

"We do laundry," Ramey said. "We help with bathing. We help with bed management. We have two chefs. We really focus on nutrition. This is a home environment. They can keep their own primary physician if they want. But we have a nurse practitioner who comes in twice a week to look at our residents and take care of them."

There are currently two openings at Walnut Creek and 10 at Southern Haven.

To find out more, go to https://lighthousepch.com or call (706) 225-2550 or (423) 718-5385.