75 Years of Thriving: A Look at ThriveMore Today

This year, ThriveMore celebrates 75 years of helping older adults thrive across North Carolina. As part of our anniversary celebration, we've looked back at our origins and the people who helped shape the organization we know now.

Today, ThriveMore is serving older adults in more ways than ever before through campus communities, innovative programs, memory care initiatives, philanthropy and new developments across the state. Because we're spread across North Carolina, many residents and team members may not realize just how much is happening across our organization. Here's a look at ThriveMore today.

Our Communities Today

At the heart of ThriveMore are the communities and programs that support older adults across North Carolina.

Across our campuses, ThriveMore is home to about 750 residents and supported by about 480 team members who make everything run smoothly each day.

• Ardenwoods: Located in Arden, Ardenwoods offers independent living and assisted living in a beautiful mountain setting.
• Brookridge: Located in Winston-Salem, Brookridge provides independent living along with a full continuum of healthcare services.
• Taylor Glen: Located in Concord, Taylor Glen offers independent living and all levels of healthcare on a secure campus. Over the last year, Taylor Glen has continued to grow with new residences, renovated dining venues, and North Carolina's first Green House memory care home.
• Taylor House: Our assisted living community in Albemarle provides personalized support in a close-knit environment. This year, Taylor House had renovations on their second and third floors, updating the century-old building that’s ThriveMore’s oldest campus.
• ThriveMore at Home: Not everyone wants to move into a retirement community. ThriveMore at Home helps older adults remain in the homes they love while receiving wellness support, care coordination and guidance as they age.

Growing for the Future

As ThriveMore celebrates 75 years of service, we're also investing in the next 75.

In New Bern, work has begun on Brice Pointe, ThriveMore's newest Life Plan Community. The community will feature independent living and healthcare services, bringing the ThriveMore experience to eastern North Carolina. Priority deposits are nearly complete, and the campus is expected to open in 2030.

Earlier this year, ThriveMore received a generous donation of land in Wendell that will one day become another retirement community serving older adults in the Raleigh area.

Growth is occurring on existing campuses as well. Taylor Glen has welcomed many new residents with its recent expansion (wrapping up this summer), while Brookridge is preparing for the opening of innovative new programs and services.

Innovating How We Serve Older Adults

Innovation has always been part of ThriveMore's story. Today, we're developing new ways to support older adults that challenge traditional models of care.

One of the most exciting projects underway is the EverTogether Residence at Brookridge.

Traditional memory care models require spouses to live separately when one partner develops dementia. EverTogether was designed to solve that problem. Couples will be able to continue living together while receiving the support each person needs.

The innovative design recently earned ThriveMore a LeadingAge North Carolina Innovation Award and is the first model of its kind in the world. Construction is currently underway and the residence is expected to open in early 2027.

At Taylor Glen, ThriveMore has embraced another innovative model by opening North Carolina's first Green House memory care residence. The Green House model creates a home-like environment centered around meaningful relationships and person-directed care.

Innovation isn't limited to residential campuses. Through ThriveMore at Home, Medicine from the Heart, intergenerational programming, and technology initiatives supported by the Foundation, ThriveMore continues exploring new ways to improve quality of life for older adults wherever they live.

Supporting Team Members and Families

Exceptional care begins with exceptional people. That's why ThriveMore continues investing in the team members who make our mission possible.

In March, the Center for Thriving Children at Brookridge opened in Winston-Salem.

The childcare center provides high-quality childcare for both ThriveMore team members and families in the surrounding community. Through Foundation support, many team members receive tuition assistance that ensures childcare stays affordable.

The center is more than a childcare facility. Residents are invited to volunteer and interact with children through planned programming that benefits both generations. Research shows that children and older adults can enrich one another's lives, and the center was designed to bring those meaningful relationships to life.

ThriveMore also invests in team member growth through scholarships, educational support, and other programs that help caregivers continue developing their skills and careers.

Living Our Mission Through Philanthropy

Many of ThriveMore's most meaningful programs would not be possible without the support of The Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation.

The Foundation focuses its work on three areas: caring for older adults in need, supporting team members, and driving innovation and campus improvements.

Foundation support ensures residents continue receiving care even if they outlive their financial resources. It also helps offset the gap between actual care costs and Medicaid reimbursement for skilled nursing residents.

The Foundation also helps fund technology programs, educational scholarships, campus enhancements and innovative services throughout ThriveMore.

One of the Foundation's most impactful initiatives is Medicine from the Heart. The program helps older adults obtain life-saving prescription medications by covering copays they cannot afford. Earlier this year, an additional pharmacy joined the effort, allowing the program to serve even more individuals in North Carolina.

Looking Ahead

Seventy-five years after its founding, ThriveMore is serving older adults in more ways than ever before.

From campus communities and aging-in-place support to innovative memory care, childcare for working families, and philanthropic programs that strengthen lives across North Carolina, ThriveMore continues to grow while staying true to its mission.

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