"What's the difference between the Care Wisconsin's Gathering Place and other adult day centers in Dane County?" That's the question most frequently asked by families exploring help for a parent or spouse with Alzheimer's.

The Gathering Place is dedicated exclusively to the specialized needs of older adults with memory loss conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Other adult day centers in the area often integrate elders who have medical conditions and disabilities with those who have memory loss.

The specially-trained staff at The Gathering Place offer enjoyable and constructive activities for people with progressive memory loss, while caregivers - wives, husbands, adult children, other family and friends - can go to work, run errands, or simply take a much-needed break.

The Gathering Place provides another option for families before the step of placing the family member in an assisted living facility or nursing home. Families can be more effective longer when they have "time off" from caregiving responsibilities and know their loved one is in good hands during the day.

Activities at The Gathering Place are designed to keep people with memory loss at their highest level of functioning. In the mornings, when participants are more lucid, activities include current events discussions, word games, crossword puzzles, trivia, bingo, singing, baking, and arts and crafts - all designed to keep the brain active.

In the afternoon, staff engages participants in physical activities. This helps keep participants minds occupied, instead of fixating on when it is time to go home at the end of the day.

The Gathering Place participants also benefit from a nutritious lunch and two snacks each day, along with health monitoring and help taking medications on time. Caregivers appreciate the bright and spacious setting, with a walking trail and security features. Many families take advantage of the bathing services offered onsite, for a small additional fee.

Caring staff members at The Gathering Place maintain their patience and compassion by asking themselves, "How would I want my loved one to be treated?" Family members have shared the following stories.

Christine and her father Donald

I have peace of mind knowing that for the three days a week my father is at The Gathering Place. There, he is eating and has some socialization. Otherwise, he doesn't even get dressed. He just sits around and looks out the window or sleeps.

My sister and I live right next door to him, and we check in on him three times a day. We want to keep him home as long as possible since my mother is already in a nursing home.

The Gathering Place frees us up, and that is such a relief. It can be stressful sometimes getting him there in the morning, but once he's there, we can tell he enjoys it. He walks around and visits with everybody. It's just so good for him to be around people.

The staff is wonderful. They are willing to work with us to make sure my father is eating. They interact with him well. Sometimes they will observe things that I don't even notice. I really appreciate that.

Teena and her mother Claire

At first we struggled with the idea of spending the money, but we decided to send my mother to The Gathering Place one day a week because we desperately needed the respite. We soon discovered that the positive feedback she received from the staff was doing her a lot of good.

24 hours / 7 days a week of intense interaction is exhausting. It's hard to deal with my mother's intense level of anxiety. We're working hard to not change her living situation, so The Gathering Place is a huge help. It's a good match for her because she's proud and doesn't want to feel as if she's being babysat. So once a week, my husband and I get to go out for lunch and relax, or I get to run errands. It's those precious few hours when she's at The Gathering Place that I know she's safe and enjoying herself.

We don't feel guilty anymore about having time off because we know it's just as positive for her as it is for us. It's a feeling of freedom that makes us better able to care for her the many, many other hours of the week. Care Wisconsin is our salvation.

Care Wisconsin's Gathering Place is open to the general community on a private pay basis, with a sliding fee scale for eligible individuals. The Day Center provides services weekdays, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, at its specially-designed facility at 2917 International Lane on the northeast side of Madison. Older adults may attend one day up to five days a week, depending on their needs. For more information or to arrange a tour, please call 608-245-3075.

 Back to The Gathering Place

 East Adult Day Center
 Back to Adult Day Center
 Back to Program & Services