Adult Day Care Centers are designed to provide care and companionship for older adults who need assistance or supervision during the day. Programs offer relief to family members and caregivers, allowing them to go to work, handle personal business, or just relax while knowing their relative is well cared for and safe.

The goals of the programs are to delay or prevent institutionalization by providing alternative care, to enhance self-esteem, and to encourage socialization. There are two types of adult day care: adult social day care and adult day health care. Adult social day care provides social activities, meals, recreation, and some health-related services. Adult day health care offers intensive health, therapeutic, and social services for individuals with serious medical conditions and those at risk of requiring nursing home care.

Older adults generally participate on a scheduled basis. Services may include:

Center Operations

Centers are usually open during normal business hours and may stand alone or be located in senior centers, nursing facilities, places of faith, hospitals, or schools. The staff may monitor medication, serve hot meals and snacks, perform physical or occupational therapy, and arrange social activities. They may also help to arrange transportation to and from the center.

Finding a Center

After completing our intake process, we will be able to give you a list of locations in your area where you may be able to meet with your needs. There may be a great deal of difference between individual centers; therefore, it is important to learn more about each center near you. If possible, visit the centers closest to you, and talk with the staff and other families that use the centers to determine whether the facilities meet your needs.

Paying for Services

Costs vary and can range from $25 to over $100 per day, depending on the services offered, type of reimbursement, and geographic region. While an adult day care center is not usually covered by Medicare insurance, financial assistance may be available through Medi-Cal, Older Americans Act, Veterans Health Administration or through private insurance.

(Options for $0 out of pocket cost will require that your senior loved one has a medical need to be enrolled into adult day care, if that is not the case for you, then a senior center may be a better option for daytime activities.)

Reading through all of this information may be confusing; feel free to reach out to us directly at 818-279-6580 to speak to an intake coordinator who will take down your concerns and have one of our care coordinators call you back with some resources that meet your needs.