The vast majority of older adults want to age in place but may eventually need more support than their caregivers can provide. Adult day centers, or adult day health care, offer an ideal middle ground. They’re more cost-effective than assisted living, and they offer similar support services, such as help with activities of daily living (ADLs), during the day, providing respite to caregivers.
Take Sue Ryan, the Naples, Florida-based co-founder of The Caregiver’s Journey, a nonprofit that provides resources to support dementia family caregivers. Her husband was a very social person, she says, and when his dementia progressed, she needed a solution for both of them.
“It became harder and harder for me to combine keeping him in a routine to keep him stable and keeping him engaged, which kept him happy and mostly at peace,” Ryan recalls.
Here, we walk through Ryan’s search for the right adult day care, how much these programs cost and how to find the best adult day health center near you.
[Read: Caregiver Burnout and Strategies to Help]
What Is Adult Day Care?
Adult day care refers to community spaces designed for older adults who want to maintain their independence but can receive the support they need, says Sarah Milanowski, manager of enrollment and marketing at LifeCircles PACE, a nonprofit that offers services to seniors based in West Michigan.
“These centers are also a key support for the families and individuals caring for older adults who need time to themselves or are juggling multiple responsibilities,” Milanowski adds.
In some ways, adult day centers are similar to day care for children. However, Merle Griff, a gerontologist and founder and CEO of SarahCare, a Canton, Ohio-based network of adult day health centers, cautions that these centers are not just grown-up day care centers.
“Adult day care is not a term we like to use because it sounds like we are babysitters, but we do so much more,” she says.
Adult day care vs. adult day health care
The terms adult day care and adult day health care reflect related but distinct service models that support older adults living at home.
— Adult day care, often referred to as the social model, emphasizes daytime supervision, meals and meaningful activities for individuals who need structure and companionship but not daily clinical care.
— Adult day health care, sometimes called the medical model, offers a higher level of service that may include skilled nursing, rehabilitation or therapy delivered by licensed clinicians.
Because state regulations, staffing and reimbursement criteria vary widely between these models, families should confirm which type of program best matches the individual’s health needs and goals for care.
[READ: Understanding Home Health Care Service Options]
Adult Day Health Care Costs and How to Pay
According to CareScout’s Cost of Care Survey, the national monthly median cost of adult day health care is $2,058 — about $95 per day or $24,700 annually. These costs assume full-time attendance (standard weekdays). Cost may vary when attendance is part time.
There are several strategies you can use to pay for adult day health care:
— Private pay. Some people pay out of pocket with savings, retirement funds or contributions from other family members.
— Long-term care insurance. You’ll need to check the specific policy, but long-term care insurance may help cover the costs of adult day health care.
— Medicaid. Some adult day health centers are certified through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and may accept reimbursement from Medicaid for those who meet qualifying criteria. The Home and Community-Based Services Waiver allows some states the option to provide care to those who meet a nursing home-level of care but would prefer to stay living independently in their community.
— Veterans benefits. Depending on eligibility, veterans have access to adult day health care.
[READ: How Much Does In-Home Care Cost & How to Pay for It]
Adult Day Health Care vs. Other Long-Term Care Options
Adult day health care is the most affordable of the senior care options that CareScout tracks.
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Services Provided in Adult Day Health Care
The slate of activities and services can vary from center to center, but generally, most adult day health care centers offer services including:
— Medication management, monitoring of chronic conditions and symptom management
— Meals, snacks and nutritional support
— Assistance with ADLs, including grooming and toileting
— Social activities, such as arts and crafts, listening to music, bingo and discussion groups or lectures
— Exercise and physical activities, such as stretching or chair workouts
— Holiday and birthday celebrations
— Outings to local cultural offerings, such as theater shows, concerts and museums
— Transportation to and from the center and local outings
— Respite services for caregivers, including counseling, education and planning support
— Pet therapy programs
— Opportunities for volunteerism and multigenerational interaction
Benefits of Adult Day Health Care
Most adult day health care centers aim to enrich seniors’ lives while keeping them safe. This kind of focused support can provide a number of benefits:
— Reduced isolation and loneliness
— Stimulating educational activities may help delay cognitive decline
— Physical activity can help reduce the risk of falls
— Improved independence and agency for seniors who otherwise might be completely housebound
— A sense of support and reliability for the primary caregiver that can help them avoid burnout
“We think of our day centers as offering some of the best aspects of traditional senior assisted living or retirement communities without uprooting individuals from the homes and families they love,” Milanowski says.
For some, these centers can become an extension of the senior’s home.
“Our day centers are a place where everybody knows your name. Folks who use our day centers enjoy getting out, engaging with others who share common experiences, pursuing meaningful activities and the pleasure of going back to the homes they love at the end of the day,” Milanowski adds.
Are there drawbacks to adult day health care?
Yes, adult day health care can have drawbacks.
— Quality of care. Quality varies among centers, so it’s important to evaluate each center carefully and consider alternatives if one falls short (more on that below).
— Staffing. “There tends to be high turnover in staffing, so the people caring for your loved one are frequently not familiar with them,” Ryan notes. “I struggled finding a day care center that had staff with longer than six months’ tenure.”
— Lack of medical oversight, depending on your loved one’s condition. For example, if your loved one has an advanced chronic condition, such as Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, a day care center may not be able to adequately address their needs, as team members with the appropriate training may not be available.
Is It Time for Adult Day Health Care?
Adult day care can be a good fit for many older adults who are living at home or with their primary caregiver rather than in an assisted living situation. The following groups of seniors might benefit most from adult day care:
— Seniors who are no longer able to manage and structure ADLs
— Seniors who feel isolated or lonely during the day, especially if their primary caregiver works outside the home and they’re left alone for several hours at a time
— Seniors who may be unsafe when left at home alone
— Seniors with signs of cognitive decline or an early-stage dementia diagnosis who do not yet require 24/7 supervision
— Seniors who want to make connections with other adults and take advantage of structured activities and support in the community
Some adult day health centers have restrictions on who can access this care. For example, LifeCircles PACE serves older adults who are 55 and above and eligible for nursing home care but prefer to remain in their own homes, Milanowski says.
Checklist: Is your loved one ready for adult day care?
Social and cognitive indicators
— Does your loved one express feelings of loneliness or isolation?
— Have they lost interest in hobbies or activities they once enjoyed?
— Do they seem anxious or restless when left alone for a few hours?
— Are they showing early signs of memory loss but can still follow a group routine?
Safety and physical indicators
— Is it no longer safe for your loved one to be left home alone?
— Do they require assistance with ADLs?
— Has their physical activity level declined significantly?
— Are they struggling to maintain a healthy nutrition schedule on their own?
Caregiver indicators
— Are you feeling symptoms of caregiver burnout (irritability, exhaustion, health issues)?
— Do you need to work or attend to other responsibilities during the day?
— Are you worried about your loved one’s safety every time you leave the house?
— Do you feel you are no longer able to provide the level of social stimulation they need?
How to Find Adult Day Health Care Near You
Ryan recommends beginning the search process by identifying what’s most important to you, the caregiver. Adult day health centers can offer time for caregivers to go to work, run errands, engage in self-care and more, so consider how much time you want available each day.
For some caregivers, that might be four hours per day, five days per week, while for others, a few hours per week will do.
Then, identify what’s most important for the care of your loved one, Ryan recommends, which will vary based on an individual’s:
— Chronic medical conditions and health care needs
— Medication requirements
— Personal care needs
— Dietary considerations
— Capacity for socialization
— Level of stimulation they can tolerate
Once you’ve identified your priorities, contact local centers to see which offers the best mix of services to meet those needs and can accommodate your preferred timeline. You can also ask:
— Your local Area Agency on Aging
FAQs
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What Is Adult Day Health Care? Costs, Benefits, Services and Finding Centers Near You originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 05/04/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
