Winston-Salem Senior AdvisorWhat is adult day care?
Adult day care is a supervised daytime program, usually on weekdays, offering meals, activities, social contact and help with personal care for older adults who live at home; adult day health adds nursing services such as medication management.
In North Carolina these programs are certified by the Division of Aging rather than licensed by DHSR, which is why they are not in our facility directory.
Who is adult day care right for?
Older adults who are safe at home at night but should not be alone all day, including many people with early or moderate dementia, and families where the caregiver works or needs regular breaks.
It can delay or prevent a move by adding structure and company to the week.
What does adult day care cost in North Carolina?
CareScout's 2025 North Carolina median for adult day health is $21,970 a year, about $1,831 a month for five days a week, far less than full-time home care or assisted living.
Many families use it two or three days a week, which costs less again.
Who pays for adult day care?
Families usually pay privately; CAP/DA can pay for adult day health for eligible Medicaid members; PACE includes a day center for its enrollees in Davidson and Davie counties; and county or nonprofit programs may offer subsidized slots.
Medicare does not pay for adult day care.
Where is adult day care in Winston-Salem?
The Elizabeth and Tab Williams Adult Day Center at 114 W. 30th Street (336-724-2155), run by Senior Services Inc., is the best-known program in Forsyth County, and other certified programs operate around the five counties.
The Piedmont Triad Regional Council's Area Agency on Aging ((336) 904-0300) can point you to certified programs near your parent.
What should we ask an adult day program?
Ask about hours, transportation, staff training in dementia, how medications are handled, what a typical day looks like, and how the program handles a participant who becomes upset or tries to leave.
Ask for a trial day before committing, and ask whether the program can take your parent on short notice when the family caregiver is sick. Programs that offer extended hours, such as the Williams Center's late-afternoon option, can make the difference for a caregiver who works a full day.
How does adult day care fit with other help at home?
It covers the weekday hours when a family caregiver works or needs rest, and pairs well with a few hours of paid aide time in the early morning or evening, Meals-on-Wheels on days at home, and a personal emergency button at night.
For Medicaid members on CAP/DA, adult day health can be part of the service plan, and PACE enrollees in Davidson and Davie counties attend Carolina SeniorCare's own day center. When a parent can no longer be safe at home overnight even with this mix, it is time to look at an adult care home.
What it is, and what it is not
| Adult day care in North Carolina is | Adult day care in North Carolina is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Oversight | Certified by the N.C. Division of Aging | Licensed by DHSR |
| Payment | Private pay, CAP/DA adult day health, PACE, county programs | Medicare |
| Hours | Weekday daytime | Overnight care |
