Adult Day Health
a.k.a. Going to "School" or Going to "Work"
Main Value: cost effective basic care, medication management, activities, and recreation for an entire day
For people who:
Need basic hands-on care and medication management during the day.
Need to allow daily respite for their families.
Potential Downsides:
Can be overwhelming for people suffering from dementia.
Not commonly available over the weekends.
Price Range: $95-$120/day including lunch.
Adult Day Health is a social program that provides seniors with fun and lively activities, supervision and meals, but the participants return home overnight. Day health is an excellent (and cost-effective) option to supplement one’s continued stay at home, and it can provide a valuable respite for family caregivers who work or need a break. As we age, it often gets more and more difficult to adjust to new environments. So day care can also help seniors who are resistant to moving out of their homes and into a care facility, by allowing them to gradually become accustomed to a new setting.
Additionally, Adult Day Health programs provide care assistance and medication management that Adult Day Care programs do not. However, Adult Day Health Centers have limits to the care that they provide, and are not an option for someone who requires extensive assistance, is introverted, and/or is suffering from certain forms of dementia that puts him or her at risk of becoming overstimulated by too much activity and too many people in such close proximity (smaller day care centers could be a solution).
If your Kupuna needs: long-term care services, consider an Assisted Living Facility, an Adult Residential Care Home, or a Foster Care Home.
** The above statements are shared with permission from Caring Manoa, LLC’s Elderly Care Options in Hawaii guide. The statements are for informational purposes only and are in no way meant to be used for medical or legal advice, or for case management purposes. Pricing and availability figures may not be most up to date, but can provide a ball park approximation.