CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Charlotte banker who's mother starting having memory problems ended up taking time off work to care of her. Her mom didn't need a nursing home yet, but she wasn't able to take care of herself either.

That frustration led to a new kind of adult day care in Charlotte.

Eyewitness News anchor Kim Brattain shows you how it works in Family Focus.

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Doris Morgan plays the piano during lunchtime for friends at The Ivey. It’s an adult day care center near SouthPark that one adult daughter said takes the guilt out of putting a parent in day care.

That’s because this is not your typical old folks home.

“This place is the opposite; it’s cheerful and relaxing,” said Melissa Mitchell

Mitchell's mom, 84-year-old Mary Hall, likes the furnishings but admits her favorite thing about The Ivey is the food. She eats breakfast and lunch there. After that, she likes the variety of activities.

“Since I don't drive it’s so wonderful to come over here and do all the exercises and things that they have,” Hall said.

Former banker Lynn Ivey came up with the idea when her mom suffered from dementia. Her mother needed help, but Ivey didn't want her to be isolated with an in-home caregiver.

“If you are socially isolated you may become depressed, and in 50 percent of those cases, older adults will get dementia and Alzheimer's, and that's a fact,” she said.

It does cost more than your average adult day care. There's a 2,500 joining fee and then various services are paid for hourly.

“It’s worth every penny for us, for her happiness, because she's happy more-so now than ever,” Mitchell said.

“I'm having a good time and that's what life is for, to make the best of it,” her mother said.

The hourly fees are generally less than $20 and are comparable to fees charged by an in-home caregiver.

If you'd like more information, visit The Ivey.