The Complete Guide to Adult Day Care in the Philadelphia Area

Adult day care in the Philadelphia area gives older adults and people with disabilities a safe, structured, and socially rich place to spend weekday daytime hours — while their family caregivers work, rest, or simply get a break. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to keep your parent or loved one at home rather than moving them into a nursing facility, adult day care may be the piece you’ve been missing. 

This guide covers everything: what adult day care actually is, who it’s designed for, what a typical day looks like, how Medicaid and VA benefits pay for it (often at no cost to the family), and what to look for when choosing a center in the Greater Philadelphia area. SarahCare Adult Day Center in Jenkintown has served Montgomery County, Bucks County, and Philadelphia-area families for years, and everything in this guide reflects what we’ve seen, heard, and learned from the families we work with every day. 

What Is Adult Day Care? 

Adult day care — also called adult day health care or adult day services — is a licensed, community-based program where older adults and individuals with disabilities spend structured daytime hours in a supervised facility setting. Participants arrive in the morning, take part in a full day of activities, meals, health monitoring, and social engagement, and return home to their families each evening. 

It’s not babysitting. It’s not a nursing home with day passes. Adult day care is its own category of care, designed specifically for people who need daytime supervision and stimulation but don’t need — and don’t want — round-the-clock institutional care. The model keeps families together. The person with care needs spends their days in a warm, professionally staffed environment; the family caregiver gets the time and space to work, recover, and be a better caregiver when they’re together. 

There are two main models. Social adult day programs focus primarily on activities, meals, and socialization. Adult day health centers — like SarahCare — add a clinical layer: on-site registered nursing, medication management, physical and occupational therapy, and the capacity to serve participants with more complex medical needs. 

Who Is Adult Day Care For? 

Adult day care serves a wide range of people. At SarahCare in Jenkintown, our participants include: 

• Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia who benefit from routine, cognitive stimulation, and safe supervision 

• Veterans living with Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or service-connected conditions 

• Individuals with physical disabilities or chronic health conditions who need health monitoring and therapeutic programming 

• People with developmental disabilities who thrive in structured social environments 

• Seniors recovering from strokes or hospitalizations who benefit from PT/OT and gradual reengagement with daily life 

The common thread is this: these are people who live at home with their families, but who cannot safely or meaningfully spend the day home alone. Adult day care fills that gap.

In Our Experience at SarahCare 

Many families come to us after a crisis — a fall, a wandering incident, or a moment when the primary caregiver realized they simply couldn’t be in two places at once anymore. What surprises them is how quickly their loved one adapts to the routine and, in many cases, genuinely looks forward to coming. Within a few weeks, participants often have favorite staff members, favorite activities, and friends they ask about by name. That transformation — from anxious about ‘day care’ to excited to come — is something we see regularly, and it matters enormously for both the participant and the family. 

What Happens During a Typical Day at Adult Day Care? 

A typical day at SarahCare runs roughly 7 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday, though families can choose shorter schedules based on their needs. Here’s what a full day looks like: 

• Morning arrival and breakfast — a hot, nutritious start to the day in a communal, social setting 

• Cognitive stimulation activities — puzzles, memory games, trivia, creative projects 

• Exercise and movement — chair-based, low-impact classes designed to improve strength and balance safely 

• Arts and crafts — creative sessions that support fine motor skills, self-expression, and social connection 

• Physical and occupational therapy — provided by licensed professionals for participants who need it 

• Hot lunch — dietitian-approved, tailored to dietary needs 

• Entertainment and afternoon activities — live performances, music, movies, themed events, and community outings 

• Beauty and personal care services — nail care, spa treatments, and grooming on scheduled days 

• Afternoon snack before departure 

For a more detailed walk-through of the SarahCare day, read our post: What Happens at Adult Day Care? A Walk Through a Typical Day at SarahCare.

How Adult Day Care Is Paid For 

This is the question families ask us most often, and the answer surprises many of them: adult day care is often available at little to no out-of-pocket cost, depending on the funding source. 

Medicaid (Community HealthChoices) 

For most participants, Medicaid is the primary payer. In Pennsylvania, adult day services are covered under the Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver program — the Medicaid managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) program. Eligible individuals who meet functional and financial criteria can have adult day care covered entirely by Medicaid, with no cost to the family beyond any applicable premium. 

SarahCare is in-network with all three Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) serving the CHC Southeast Zone: Keystone First, UPMC Community HealthChoices, and PA Health & Wellness. 

VA Benefits for Veterans 

Veterans enrolled in VA health care may be eligible for adult day care at no cost through the VA’s Community Care Network or Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) program. This is one of the most underutilized benefits available to veterans and their families in the Philadelphia area — and it’s something SarahCare actively helps families navigate. 

Private Pay 

Families who pay privately for adult day care typically find it significantly less expensive than the alternatives. Full-day adult day care in the Philadelphia area generally runs in the range of $75–$110 per day, compared to $5,000–$7,000 per month for assisted living or $300+ per day for skilled nursing facility care. Long-term care insurance policies often cover adult day care as well — check your policy’s ‘community-based care’ or ‘adult day services’ benefit. 

Adult Day Care vs. Other Care Options 

Families weighing their options often compare adult day care to home care, assisted living, and nursing homes. Here’s a plain-language comparison: 

• vs. Home care: Home care brings a caregiver into the house. Adult day care brings your loved one into a community. Many families use both — a paid family caregiver handles mornings, evenings, and weekends at home while SarahCare provides structured weekday programming. See our post on using both programs together. 

• vs. Assisted living: Assisted living is full residential placement — the person moves out of the family home. Adult day care is daytime-only; your loved one sleeps at home every night. Medicaid covers adult day care for eligible participants; most assisted living facilities do not accept Medicaid. 

• vs. Nursing home: A nursing home is 24/7 institutional care for people with high medical needs. Adult day care is a community-based alternative that can delay or prevent nursing home placement for many families. 

For a detailed side-by-side comparison of adult day care and assisted living costs and Medicaid coverage, read: Adult Day Care vs. Assisted Living: Cost, Quality of Life, and What Medicaid Covers. 

How to Choose an Adult Day Center in the Philadelphia Area 

Not all adult day centers are the same. When you’re evaluating options, here are the questions that matter most: 

• Is the center licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services? All adult day centers in PA must be licensed — ask to see the certificate. 
• What is the staff-to-participant ratio? Lower ratios mean more individual attention, especially important for participants with dementia or behavioral health needs. 
• Does the center have an on-site registered nurse? SarahCare does — this is what separates an adult day health center from a basic social day program. 
• What does the activity calendar actually look like? Ask to see it. A robust calendar with variety and intentional programming reflects a center that takes engagement seriously. 
• What transportation is available? SarahCare provides door-to-door transportation for eligible participants, including rides to VA medical appointments. 
• Which insurance and waiver programs are accepted? Confirm that the center is in-network with your loved one’s specific MCO or VA Community Care designation. 
• Can you take a tour first? Always visit before enrolling. The physical environment, the staff interactions, and the overall feeling of the place tell you more than any brochure.

What We See in Practice 

When families tour SarahCare, the thing that most often tips their decision isn’t a specific program or credential — it’s watching the staff interact with participants. The warmth is either there or it isn’t, and families can feel it within five minutes of walking in. We always recommend bringing your loved one on the tour, even if they’re resistant to the idea. Seeing the space, meeting people, and experiencing the energy of the center directly tends to shift the conversation in a way that no amount of talking-to beforehand can accomplish. 

SarahCare Adult Day Center — Jenkintown, PA 

SarahCare Adult Day Center is located at 261 Old York Road, Suite A51, Jenkintown, PA 19046 — in the heart of Montgomery County, with easy access from Philadelphia, Bucks County, and the surrounding suburbs. We serve participants with a wide range of needs, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, Parkinson’s disease, TBI, physical disabilities, and age-related decline. 

We are part of the national SarahCare franchise network, which provides programming standards and training systems, while our Jenkintown team brings genuine community investment and a personal approach that residents notice. We accept Medicaid through all three CHC Southeast Zone MCOs, VA benefits through the Community Care Network and ADHC program, and private pay. 

If you’re exploring adult day care for a parent, spouse, or other family member in the Philadelphia area, we’d love to show you what we do. Call us at 215-999-1200 or schedule a free tour through our website — it’s the best way to answer every question at once.

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 Gary Murray  |  Chief Marketing Officer, CareChoice & SarahCare 

Gary Murray is the CMO of CareChoice Home Care and SarahCare Adult Day Center, where he has spent years working alongside families navigating Medicaid, VA benefits, and the full continuum of in-home and community-based care in Pennsylvania.