Adult Day Care in Indiana: Cost, Medicaid Coverage, and Finding a Program

Your parent needs supervision during the day. You need to work. Full-time in-home care at $35/hour would cost $6,000+ per month. Adult day services cut that cost dramatically while giving your parent structured activities, meals, and medical monitoring in a community setting.

What Adult Day Services Include

Licensed adult day programs in Indiana provide daytime supervision typically from 7 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday. Standard services include:

• Supervision and personal assistance with daily activities
• Nutritious meals and snacks (meeting dietary restrictions)
• Therapeutic activities — physical exercise, cognitive stimulation, social interaction
• Basic health monitoring (blood pressure, medication reminders)
• Some programs offer specialized dementia care units

Adult day services are not nursing care. They're a step between independent living and full-time attendant care — designed to keep your parent engaged and safe during work hours while reducing the need for 1-on-1 in-home care.

What It Costs

The median national rate for adult day services is approximately $95 per day. Indiana averages slightly below that. For a parent attending 5 days per week, expect roughly $1,700–$2,000 per month at private-pay rates — compared to $6,000+ for full-time in-home care.

Transportation may or may not be included in the daily rate. Ask upfront — some programs bundle van service within a certain radius, while others require you to arrange transportation separately.

How Medicaid and CHOICE Cover Adult Day Care

PathWays for Aging waiver covers adult day services as an authorized service in the Person-Centered Service Plan. The MCE's care coordinator determines the number of days per week based on your parent's assessed needs. There is no copay for waiver-covered adult day services.

CHOICE program also funds adult day services for seniors who meet the functional eligibility criteria (risk of nursing home placement) with assets below $250,000. CHOICE may apply a cost-share for households above 150% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Medicare does not cover adult day care. This is a common misconception. Medicare covers medical care — not custodial supervision.

Finding a Program

Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for a list of licensed adult day programs in your county. Ask about:

• Staffing ratios — how many participants per staff member?
• Specialized care — do they have a designated dementia or memory care unit?
• Hours and flexibility — can your parent attend part-time (2–3 days/week)?
• Trial visits — most programs allow a trial day before committing
• Transportation — is pickup and drop-off included?

When Adult Day Care Makes Sense

Adult day services work best when:

• Your parent is safe overnight but needs daytime supervision
• You're the primary caregiver and need reliable work-hours coverage
• Your parent is socially isolated and would benefit from structured activities
• You're waiting for Medicaid waiver approval and need a cost-effective bridge

They're not the right fit if your parent needs 24-hour supervision, has severe behavioral issues that require 1-on-1 management, or is too medically complex for a community-based setting.

For families piecing together a full care plan — combining adult day services with in-home care, meal delivery, and Medicaid waiver supports — the Indiana Home Care, Waivers & Support Guide shows how each service fits into the broader system and how to get them authorized through the right program.

See more Indiana guides →