Adult Day Care Centers See Rapid Expansion During Past 8 Years

Senior Day Care Centers As home and community based solutions for senior living evolve, Adult Day Services is experiencing rapid growth across the United States.  According to a new study by MetLife Mature Market Institute, the number of Adult Day Services centers have grown to over 4,600 locations nationwide that represents a 35% increase since 2002.  The study estimates that these centers serve 260,000 people versus approximately 100,000 since 2002 and most centers provide programs for caregivers, including education, support groups and individual counseling.  While participants at Adult Day Services Centers showed a wide range in age, ethnicity and ability, the average participant is a 65-plus-year-old, white female with dementia, hypertension or a physical disability requiring assistance with at least one activity of daily living (ADL) and medication management.

Some of the findings include:

  • 58% of the participants were women
  • 29% have waiting lists
  • 90% of centers offer cognitive stimulation programs
  • 80% have memory training
  • Fees average $61.71 per day

“We’re seeing that more and more Adult Day Services centers have become a staple in communities in recent years,” said Dr. Sandra Timmermann, director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute. “Older Americans, people with disabilities and family caregivers rely on them for the services they provide. ADS centers make it possible for people to continue to live in their homes and receive affordable care in a supportive, professionally staffed, community-based setting. They also benefit family caregivers by enabling them to remain in the workforce or receive needed respite and support services. The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the health care reform bill), and an increasing focus on managing chronic illness within the Medicare program, speaks to the importance of developing care models such as Adult Day Services to meet the needs of a growing population of older Americans.”

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The MetLife National Study of Adult Day Services: Providing Support to Individuals and Their Family Caregivers