How Veterans Can Access Free Adult Day Care Through the VA in the Philadelphia Area

For veterans in the Philadelphia area who are enrolled in VA health care, adult day care may be available at no cost. The VA’s Community Care Network and Adult Day Health Care program both provide funding for veterans to receive professional daytime care in community settings like SarahCare Adult Day Center in Jenkintown — without the veteran or family paying out of pocket. 

This post explains exactly how to access this benefit, who qualifies, and what to say to your VA provider to get the process started. 

Why This Benefit Goes Unused 

The gap between VA eligibility and actual VA benefit use is enormous — particularly for older veterans. VA adult day benefits are available to many veterans who never apply for them, simply because no one told them the benefit existed, because navigating the VA system feels overwhelming, or because families assume their veteran isn’t ‘sick enough’ to qualify. 

At SarahCare, we see this regularly. A family brings in a veteran who has been managing at home with increasing difficulty — a spouse who is exhausted, a daughter who has been missing work to provide supervision, a veteran who hasn’t left the house in weeks. When we ask about VA benefits, many of these families have never heard of the Community Care Network or the ADHC program. That’s a benefit gap we take seriously. 

Step-by-Step: How Veterans Access Free Adult Day Care Through the VA 

1. Confirm VA enrollment. The veteran must be enrolled in VA health care. If not enrolled, visit va.gov/health-care/apply or call 1-877-222-8387. Enrollment is free and eligibility is broad — most veterans who served honorably qualify. 
2. Contact the VA primary care team. The starting point is the veteran’s VA primary care provider (PCP) at the VAMC Philadelphia (University Ave, 215-823-5800), a VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), or via the VA’s My HealtheVet telehealth system. Request an appointment to discuss adult day care or community-based care options. 
3. Describe the specific care challenges. Bring documented examples: wandering incidents, medication errors, falls, caregiver fatigue, behavioral episodes, or any circumstances where the veteran was unsafe or unsupervised at home. The more specific the clinical picture, the stronger the case for referral. 
4. Request a referral to Community Care or the ADHC program. Ask the VA provider directly: ‘Can you refer my loved one to a community adult day health care program through the VA Community Care Network?’ The VA social worker attached to the care team can assist with identifying the right authorization pathway. 
5. Name SarahCare as your provider. Tell the VA coordinator: ‘We’d like to be referred to SarahCare Adult Day Center in Jenkintown, PA.’ Our address is 261 Old York Road, Suite A51, Jenkintown, PA 19046. We are a VA Community Care Network provider. 
6. SarahCare handles the rest. Once we receive the authorization from the VA, we contact the family directly, coordinate a start date, and set up transportation if needed. We work with VA authorizations regularly and can guide families through any gaps. 

In Our Experience at SarahCare 

The most common thing we hear from families after we’ve helped them access VA benefits is: ‘I had no idea it could be this straightforward.’ The VA system can feel like a maze, but for adult day care specifically, the Community Care pathway is fairly well-established — especially for veterans with dementia, Parkinson’s, TBI, or significant functional limitations. Our advice: don’t let the perceived complexity of the VA stop you from starting the conversation. Ask the question at the next VA appointment and see what happens. 

What If the VA Denies the Referral? 

If a Community Care referral is initially denied, families have options. Veterans can request a review through their VA Patient Advocate. A VSO (Veterans Service Organization) representative — available through organizations like the American Legion, VFW, or DAV — can help navigate appeals and ensure the veteran’s file is fully documented. Alternatively, veterans who are also eligible for Medicaid through Community HealthChoices may be able to access SarahCare through that pathway instead. 

For more on how VA benefits work for adult day care in Pennsylvania, see: VA Benefits for Adult Day Care: What Veterans in Pennsylvania Need to Know. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Ready to Learn More? 

Schedule a free tour of SarahCare Adult Day Center in Jenkintown. 

Call us: 215-999-1200 or contact us here.

Written by Carolyn Choates  |  Assistant Marketing Manager, SarahCare 

Carolyn Choates works with veteran families at SarahCare Jenkintown, helping them navigate the VA referral process and access adult day services at no cost.