What is Adult Day Health Care (ADHC)?

Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) is a licensed Medi-Cal certified health facility that treats the health and supportive needs of older adults with multiple, chronic conditions in a safe, homelike day setting. ADHC provides expert, specialized care to individuals who have:

• Alzheimer's disease or related dementia
• Post-stroke complications
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes with complications
• Neurological diseases
• Depression
• Head or spinal cord injury
• Developmental disabilities
• Mental illnesses

The goal of ADHC is to prevent or delay placement into nursing homes or other more expensive care settings. This is done by improving and preserving each individual's physical and mental health, improving their quality of life. Older adults with chronic conditions are able to successfully live in the community while a benefit for the caregiver is regular respite from 24-hour caregiving responsibility.

ADHC provides many health and social services under one roof for one set daily fee. Persons attending ADHC are pre-approved by the Medi-Cal field office (if a Medi-Cal beneficiary). Non Medi-Cal participants pay out-of-pocket. Many centers have sliding fee scales.

ADHC participants attend, on average, 3 days per week, four to eight hours per day. During this time many services and activities are offered based on a thorough assessment and plan of care. Services provided on an individual basis include nursing supervision and assistance, medication monitoring, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social work. Assistance with daily tasks such as eating and walking are provided by trained program assistants. Group activities provide companionship and social stimulation and are designed with the participants level of ability and interests in mind. A noon meal, transportation to and from the center, caregiver support groups, community outreach and education and other services may also be provided.

ADHC is a bargain compared to purchasing these services separately or the cost of a nursing home stay.
ADHC promotes optimal health and mental well-being for the participant, compliance with physician treatment plans, support for the caregiver, in a supportive, enjoyable setting.

For more information, contact the Calfornia Department of Health Care Services, or contact CAADS.

California Association for Adult Day Services
921 11th Street Suite 1100
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone:   (916) 552-7400
Fax:  (916) 552-7404
Email:  caads@caads.org