What the day actually contains
Ask for a real schedule, not a list of categories. A good program can tell you what happens at 10:30 on a Tuesday and who leads it.
Adult day care, explained
Looking for adult day care nearby? Here is how to compare.
Most families start searching after something small changes — a parent stops driving, a spouse can no longer be left alone all day, or the phone calls start arriving in the middle of the workday.
This page explains what daytime programs actually are, what separates a good one from a merely adequate one, and where Evergreen fits.
01
What an adult day program actually is.
An adult day program is a place an older adult goes during the day and comes home from in the evening. Days are supervised and structured, usually including activities, social time, a meal and some level of support with the parts of the day that have become harder.
Programs vary widely. Some are medically oriented and attached to a health system. Others are primarily social. Some are large and institutional; some are small and deliberately unclinical. The label “adult day care” covers all of them, which is exactly why comparing them is confusing.
What stays constant is the purpose: somewhere to go, something to do, people to be with, and dependable hours for the family at home.
02
Six things worth asking about.
Whichever programs you are comparing, these are the questions that reveal what a day is really like.
Who is in the room
Staffing ratios matter, but so does who the other members are. Your parent should be able to find people they would genuinely choose to sit with.
How memory change is handled
Ask how staff respond when someone is confused, repeats themselves or wants to leave. The answer tells you more than any brochure.
Food
Whether lunch is prepared on site, eaten together at a table, and whether it is something you would want to eat.
Getting there
Transportation is often the deciding factor. Ask whether pick-up is available, in what area and at what cost.
How they communicate with you
You should hear how the day went — not only when something goes wrong.
03
How Evergreen is different.
Evergreen was built for people who would never describe themselves as needing “day care.”
A club, not a waiting room
Evergreen is designed as a daytime social club for older adults. The studio looks and feels like somewhere an adult would choose to spend a day.
A structured, varied day
Conversation and discussion, live music, chair yoga and gentle strength, creative work, games and cognitive activities, and a chef-prepared lunch eaten together.
Memory and cognitive support woven in
Support is part of the day rather than a separate track, so nobody is singled out. Trained staff are on site throughout the day.
Door-to-door transportation
An optional add-on within our service area, so a ride is not the reason a good day does not happen.
Flexible membership
4-Visit, 10-Visit and 20-Visit memberships, so families can start where the timing makes sense.
More detail: A day at Evergreen · Memory & Cognitive Support · Transportation · Membership & Pricing
04
Who Evergreen is for.
Often a good fit
- Someone who is safe at home but spends most of the day alone
- Someone whose world has quietly narrowed since they stopped driving or working
- Someone with mild to moderate memory or cognitive change who still enjoys company
- A family that needs dependable daytime coverage during the workweek
- A spouse or adult child who is carrying the week largely on their own
Not what we do
- Someone who needs skilled nursing or medical treatment during the day
- Someone who needs one-to-one supervision at all times
- Someone who needs overnight or residential care
Evergreen is daytime social and cognitive engagement. It is not residential care and not a medical program.
Where Evergreen is
Open
Stamford, Connecticut
Our studio on Newfield Avenue, serving Stamford, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan and the surrounding area.
Stamford location →Coming this fall
White Plains, New York
Evergreen is coming to White Plains this fall. Families in Westchester are welcome to visit our Stamford studio in the meantime.
White Plains →Evergreen is not everywhere. If you are outside our area, the questions above are still the right ones to ask of the programs near you.
The only real way to compare is to visit. Come see a day.
Tour the studio while a day is underway, or spend a full complimentary day with us before deciding anything.
Also useful: Caregiver Support · Paying for Care