A 74-year-old great-grandmother hopes to make an old Jonesboro insurance building into what she calls a "home away from home." Barbara Thomas, a retired nurse, officially opened her What-A-Day Care Center Health in January at 177 College St. But instead of high chairs and rocking horses, the 35,000-square-foot day care is full of recliners and rocking chairs. The center serves as a sitting service for people with physical and mental disabilities.

Many facilities provide 24-hour care for the elderly and disabled, but finding one to serve just during business hours is difficult, Thomas said.

"There aren't many places available for people to leave their relatives while they are working. This is the first in Clayton County," she said. "This is a structured environment, a safe haven."

The center has three full-time nurses, along with a dietary and activities staff. In addition to two meals and a snack, What-A-Day offers special exercise classes for the disabled, computer courses and crafts. They start every morning with a recap of current events for Alzheimer's patients.

"We try to keep them as active as possible," said Kenneth Jackson, a licensed practical nurse. "If you don't use it, you lose it."

"We are providers for Medicare. A lot of people who do qualify aren't aware of the services we offer," Thomas said.

The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, but it plans to expand to weekends soon, Thomas said.

— This article is a reprint from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.