Adult Day Services
The following are structured, comprehensive, supervised programs for adults. Licensed adult day services provide planned physical and mental stimulation, health screenings, therapeutic activities, nutritional snacks, and hot meals. Program staff design an individual plan of care for each participant. Programs may provide some of the following: transportation, personal care services (bathing, hair care), medication reminders, social services, and nursing services. Ask each program what is offered, depending on your needs.
Rates vary. Private pay; Medicaid waiver, VA, and some long-term-care insurance may cover adult day services. All of the listed programs have some kind of financial help available for participants who need it. Most programs have an admission assessment procedure.
Hours for each facility are listed, but be aware that all offer flexible hours and will try to work with your family’s needs.
Adult day programs, because they are a safe place for older persons, can provide respite for caregivers. Most require that participants have some minimum physical abilities to be eligible to participate; for example, they must be mobile (able to walk, with or without the aid of a walker or cane, or must be able to use a wheelchair and transfer without help), be capable of self-care (able to feed self and take care of personal hygiene with minimal assistance), and be able to adapt to a group setting. Most programs will accept adults with dementia or other physical or mental impairments. Most will also accept seniors who are frail, socially isolated, and who need daily supervision. Some will accept adults of any age, some have minimum age requirements.
Please note that the above are general criteria that do not necessarily apply to all programs: eligibility criteria vary among programs, and seniors and their caregivers are strongly encouraged to talk to staff and visit the programs to choose the one that meets their needs.
Most facilities use devices that set off an alarm when someone leaves the unit without authorization. If your loved one has a tendency to wander, ask the facility staff about their security measures.
The state of Tennessee requires adult day programs to be licensed if they have 10 or more adults in their care.
The programs listed here are not sitter services or “day- stay” programs. Those programs, too, can offer respite for caregivers and a safe place for elders, but they are not licensed as adult day services and most do not offer the range of activities provided by licensed programs.
Some housing facilities allow nonresidents to come for a day-stay program that provides structured activities in a safe environment. These programs are often not licensed adult day services. See Housing and Respite.
For a listing of adult day programs in other counties, call the appropriate Office on Aging.
CADES – Concord Adult Day Enrichment Services
675-2835
Concord United Methodist Church
11020 Roane Drive, 37934
Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Daily Living Center (CAC)
689-8412
O’Connor Senior Center
Christenberry Heights, 3900 Probus Road, 37918
Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Offers nursing and health services. Free or very low cost for income-eligible persons.
Howard Circle of Friends
524-9457
a program of the East TN Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, at Mount Calvary Baptist Church
1807 Dandridge Avenue, 37915
Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Kay Senior Care Center
521-0289
Church Street United Methodist Church
900 Henley Street, 37902
Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Keystone Adult Day Program
483-6631
1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, 37830
Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Samaritan Place
684-1880
a program of Catholic Charities of East TN, Inc.
3009 Lakebrook Boulevard, 37909
Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
» website
Seniors Day Out at Trinity Hills
329-3292
a partnership between the East TN Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and Trinity Hills of Knoxville
4611 Asheville Highway, 37914
Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
