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| Members of Catholic Charities of Madison’s Adult Day Center enjoy breakfast and each other’s company during the center’s recent open house. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash) |
MADISON — Some people driving to the Dane County Regional Airport on Madison’s east side might go right past it and not even realize it.
On the 2900 block of International Ln., there’s a place where dozens of adults come every day to have a great time with old and new friends.
What is the center?
According to its website, the Adult Day Center in Madison is one of five aging services programs offered through Catholic Charities of Madison that supports older adults in maintaining independence to live in their own home and community.
The center is the largest in Dane County, and is an affordable way to provide elderly people with daily opportunities to socialize, participate in fun activities, and receive care during the day.
It is also the only day center in Dane County with programming exclusively dedicated to adults with memory loss conditions.
It is designed for adults, ages 18 and older, with medical conditions, physical disabilities, cognitive concerns, difficulties functioning at home alone, or Alzheimer’s or other memory loss conditions.
The center provides health monitoring, assistance with medications, nutritionally balanced meals and snacks, social opportunities, and individualized plans for fulfilling days.
A day at the center
Recently, the center hosted an open house to give the community along with interested and potential future members a chance to see what’s going on inside.
The center is open Monday through Friday, and the day can start as early as 7:30 a.m. for some guests.
On the day of the open house, a few people did arrive right at the start time for breakfast, while others arrived throughout the morning. The staff greeted everyone with a smile and a happy “good morning” before escorting them to a table.
The center creates a “bright and cheery” atmosphere with the friendly staff, along with uplifting paintings that cover an entire wall and the occasional smiley face next to announcements.
Some members will stay the whole day; some will only visit the center for a few hours, depending on their needs.
There were some extra visitors at the center on the morning of the open house. Volunteers and workers took them around the facility, showing them areas such as the gathering spaces; quiet rooms for movies, reading, or other quiet activities; and shower facilities for guests of varying physical needs.
On a typical day, members will find a schedule on the wall with events posted. On this day, they were treated to a performance by the American Family Insurance Choir, followed by lunch, consisting of a California Cobb salad with a wheat roll and mixed berries.
A popular and calming attraction in the day center in the aviary, currently home to three finches.
Hazel, who has been coming to the day center for about 10 years, likes to watch the birds and said they remind her of “Whitey,” a finch she used to have as a pet.
A day at the center ends around 4:30 in the afternoon, following activities such as exercise, ring toss, and a snack.
Dementia presentation
After the open house, everyone was invited to a presentation on memory loss.
The speaker was retired doctor and dementia specialist Dr. Kim Peterson from Spring Green.
Dr. Peterson spoke on different types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
He also spoke on the different stages of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia that can happen to any adult, as they get older.
By the times dementia sufferers reach a “moderate severe” to “severe” decline, they can experience anything from forgetting their phone number and names of close family members to forgetting their spouse’s name and even the most recent events.
Dr. Peterson also talked about a sometimes-overlooked type of dementia called “Lewy Body” dementia. This type occurs in 15 to 20 percent of all dementia cases and is sometimes misdiagnosed.
Lewy Body has a shorter duration that Alzheimer’s and can include fluctuating cognition and attention, as well as recurrent visual hallucinations.
As previously mentioned, the Adult Day Center does provide programs exclusively for friends and loved ones who suffer from various stages of memory loss.
Staff members are always on hand to make sure guests are getting the care they need throughout the day.
The Adult Day Center currently has some openings for new members.
For more information, call 608-663-7117 or visit AdultDayCenterMadison.org