While most of us want to age in place in the community, rather than live out our final years in a facility, that arrangement can sometimes require significant support and services in the home. Especially if the person at home has physical or cognitive disabilities, significant daily help may be necessary. If family caregivers are involved, this can mean that work lives are disrupted or the burdens of caregiving could become unsustainable. Those aging in place with limited mobility might also become socially isolated or lonely due to a lack of social interaction. Is there something that can be done to help address these challenges? 

Enter Adult Day Care, a long term care option that few older adults are currently taking advantage of. Adult Day Care programs are community-based programs that offer a supportive environment for an older adult, to experience companionship, activities, and even health and support services as needed, during daytime hours. For those who lack social stimulation or companionship during the daytime at home, adult day care centers can provide stimulating conversation or programming. For those with more health needs, such community-based programs can offer RN oversight for medications along with the potential for physical therapy or other medical services. There are also specialized adult day care facilities that offer a supportive and structured environment for those with dementia or memory problems. Depending on the program, these centers may provide transportation back and forth from the facility and nutritious meals and snacks. The cost? Pricing depends upon the geographic location and the types of services provided, but it averages around $78 per day, though higher-end programs can run as much as $125 per day. While these prices are less than the costs of such facility-based care as assisted living or skilled nursing homes, it’s still a hefty expense for many to sustain. If you’re lucky enough to have a long term care policy, chances are your policy can cover much if not most of the cost (you should check your policy to see what your precise coverage is). Medicare will likely not cover the costs of Adult Day Care, though if you receive Medicaid, you may get costs covered, and those who are covered by the Veterans’ Administration may get the costs of VA Adult Day Care programs covered. Still, it’s estimated that about 15% of Adult Day Care users pay completely out of pocket for the services provided. But, as one caregiver remarked about using Adult Day Care for her husband with dementia, “I can’t put a price on what it’s done for us…I keep my sanity by getting bills paid and keeping the house in good condition and tidy so it’s safe for him here.”

It’s estimated that there are currently about 8,000 Adult Day Care programs around the country, especially on the east and west coasts and certain southern states. However, rural communities and the midwest appear to have fewer programs, lacking both the staff to run these programs and the clients to enroll. Other challenges to accessing these programs include a lack of transportation to get clients back and forth, unsustainable costs, and rigid hours of service during the daytime. To see if your community has such programs, take a look here. And to determine whether your local programs meet your needs and are of a quality you can rely on, take a look at this list of questions to ask from the website AgingCare. While Adult Day Care programs may not be right for everyone, too few people are currently taking advantage of what might be an ideal way to have your loved one age at home in the community while allowing the family to continue their work or other commitments during weekday, daytime hours. For some additional resources on Adult Day Care, take a look here.