DECATUR COUNTY, GA (WTXL) — Bainbridge neighbor Connie Hunter knows firsthand what it means to care for an aging loved one. She and her siblings have been caring for their 97-year-old father, Percy, since November 2025.
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Feeding him, checking on his well-being, and simply spending time together are all part of the daily routine.
"I have to be aware and make sure he's taking his medicine. He's on a walker, so sometimes his balance is off. You know, kind of make sure that he's keeping his balance and not falling because that's one of the things that happens, that they fall. And you don't sleep as soundly because you've always got to have an ear out to kind of hear if something is going on," Hunter said.
Hunter says even with the support of her family, caring for an aging parent isn't always easy.
It's a challenge Damedris Williams says she has spent the last 25 years working to address. Williams is the CEO and owner of Agape Serenity Home, a 24-hour personal care home in Bainbridge designed to house 13 to 15 seniors.
"The families, mom and dad, they feel like they don't get enough attention or enough love in these places because literally sometimes you can't when it's a big capacity. So my thing is bringing it as a small capacity so I can show them, I'll give them the love that they deserve and the time that they're looking for. I think that's so important," Williams said.
The smaller setting is designed for older adults who are still largely independent but need help with everyday tasks like medication management, personal care, and companionship.
The need for facilities like Agape Serenity is growing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Georgia has the ninth fastest growing population of residents 60 and older. More than 20% of Georgia's population will be 60 or older by 2030.
For people like Hunter, who have support systems in place, facilities like Agape Serenity offer reassurance for those who may not be as fortunate.
"To have a place where they're going to be taken care of, they're going to be making sure they're going to be taking their medicine, they're going to be clean, they're going to be fed. That's a big stress of someone," Hunter said.
Agape Serenity Home is expected to open in August and is currently accepting applications.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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