Meritan

About Us

Established in 1961, Meritan is a private, not-for-profit agency classified by the IRS as a 501(c) (3) organization. Meritan is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and holds licenses in Tennessee to provide home health, personal care, mental retardation services, and child placement (foster care). The agency also holds child placement licenses in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Georgia.

Filling in gaps through identifying needs and resources, Meritan addresses a variety of challenges that people confront. On one end of the spectrum, these challenges are those that come with aging. On the other, they are the challenges faced by children afflicted with multiple severe health conditions who are without parents able to take care of them. Meritan is also helping people of all ages whose lives are affected by vision loss, developmental delays and poor health. The agency improves the lives of its consumers through providing, as appropriate, home care, employment/training services, child foster care, case management, family-based placements for low functioning adults, senior center activities, senior fitness programming, and education in medication management.

Our Mission

Maximizing each individual's optimum potential throughout life's stages.

Our Vision

• To fill in service gaps and meet unmet needs
• To provide services that benefit humanity and improve the community
• To be financially secure
• To be a good place for people to work
• To be a place that clients and referral sources seek out
• To be a leader in our industry
• To be passionate about quality

Our Values

• Absolute integrity
• Continuous self-improvement
• Respect for and concern for the individual
• Exceptional customer services
• Fiscal accountability

Services

Specialized Foster Care - a child placement program providing specialized foster care for difficult to place medically and emotionally fragile children.

Home Health Services - intermittent services from skilled nurses, therapists, home health aides, and medical social workers for qualified Medicare patients. These services are provided to promote independence, to educate, and to maximize wellness.

Homemaker – in-home care to assist individuals in remaining in their own homes for as long as possible. Services include personal care such as bathing, changing, etc. and errands, meal preparation, housekeeping, etc.

Employment Programs – job-training preparation for seniors combined with job-matching for employers.

Home Share – a residential-based program that helps people with developmental disabilities live as independently as possible.

Ruth E. Tate Senior Center – a home away from home for people age 60 and older that provides a place to congregate and programs to invigorate.

Other Services

Blind and Visually Impaired Services – a full slate of programs that help visually impaired people and their families cope with the physical and emotional aspects of near and complete blindness.

Get Fit, Stay Fit – an exercise program offered at area senior centers that focuses on balance, strength, coordination training, and nutritional counseling.

Traumatic Brain Injury – personal care and independent living skills offered primarily to those who live at Welsh Manor, McCullough Place, and Hagy Commons, and are affected by traumatic brain injury.

Medication Management – an educational program that employs a licensed pharmacist who gives group presentations and individual consultation related to the safe use of medications by the elderly. Information concerning Medicare drug coverage is also included.

Assistance and Information - a free resource program through which counselors provide information on health care and caregiver issues to the community.

HOPWA - provides supportive home and community based services to low-income individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or related diseases.