How to Get a VA Referral for Adult Day Care: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting a VA referral for adult day care doesn’t have to be complicated — but knowing the right steps matters. Many families struggle because they don’t know exactly which VA pathway leads to adult day care, what to say to their provider, or how to name the specific program they need. This guide covers every step, from the initial VA appointment to the first day at SarahCare. 

Before You Start: What You Need to Have Ready 

Before the VA appointment where you’ll request a referral, prepare the following: 

• A clear description of the specific daily challenges — wandering, unsafe home situations, missed medications, caregiver inability to work, behavioral incidents 

• The veteran’s current VA enrollment information and any recent VA care team contacts 

• The name and address of the adult day center you prefer: SarahCare Adult Day Center, 261 Old York Road, Suite A51, Jenkintown, PA 19046 

• Any supporting documentation: recent health events, incident reports, a letter from the family physician, or notes from previous VA visits that reference care needs 

Step-by-Step: Getting a VA Adult Day Care Referral 

1. Schedule an appointment with the veteran’s VA primary care provider (PCP). This can be at VAMC Philadelphia (215-823-5800), a VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), or via telehealth through My HealtheVet. 
2. At the appointment, clearly describe the care situation. Use specific examples. Don’t minimize. The VA provider needs a clear clinical picture to justify a community care referral. Phrases like ‘I am concerned about safety when left alone’ and ‘current care needs exceed what the family can manage independently’ communicate the right level of need. 
3. Ask the provider directly: ‘Can you refer [veteran’s name] to the VA Adult Day Health Care program or VA Community Care Network for adult day services?’ If the provider is unfamiliar with the term, ‘community-based adult day health care’ is the standard description. 
4. Request that the referral specify SarahCare Adult Day Center in Jenkintown as the preferred community provider. VA Community Care coordinators will contact SarahCare directly to process the authorization once the referral is submitted. 
5. Follow up with the VA Community Care office if you haven’t heard within two weeks. Contact information for VAMC Philadelphia’s Community Care office: 215-823-5800, ext. for Patient Services/Community Care. 
6. SarahCare coordinates with the VA once the authorization is received. We contact the family, schedule an enrollment visit, and set a start date. Transportation can be arranged at this stage. 

 What We See in Practice 

The step where most referrals stall is Step 3 — the conversation with the VA provider. Many families go into that appointment hoping the provider will raise the subject of community care; the provider may not, particularly if they’re managing a busy schedule and the veteran appears clinically stable. Our advice: come in with the ask ready. Say the words. The VA Community Care pathway for adult day care exists; the provider simply needs to initiate it. Be the one who asks. 

 What If the Referral Is Denied? 

If a Community Care referral is initially denied, request a written explanation and contact the VA Patient Advocate at the relevant VA facility. Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) — American Legion, VFW, DAV — provide free assistance navigating VA benefit appeals. A well-documented appeal with supporting medical evidence has a reasonable chance of success. 

Veterans who are also Medicaid-eligible can access SarahCare through Community HealthChoices even if the VA pathway doesn’t work out. See: How Medicaid Pays for Adult Day Care in Pennsylvania. 

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.