Adult day care centers, also known as adult day services, have been providing a form of respite for caregivers for many years. The need for such centers has "jumped sharply to keep pace with the mushrooming demand for home and community based services.

This growth also is due in part to new funding sources such as Medicaid waiver programs, which support alternatives to institutional long-term care and rehabilitation.

One difference between traditional adult respite, both group and in-home care, and adult day care is that adult day centers not only provide respite to family caregivers but also therapeutic care for cognitively and physically impaired older adults.

There are three types of adult day care:
1.	Adult day social care provides social activities, meals, recreation, and some health-related services.
2.	Adult day health care offers more intensive health, therapeutic, and social services for individuals with severe medical problems and for those at risk of nursing home care.
3.	Alzheimer’s specific adult day care provides social and health services only to persons with Alzheimer’s or related dementia.

The majority of in home care providers for physically or cognitively disable adults are family members generally an adult child or a spouse. Without the care of these family members many of these disabled adults would require care in nursing homes.

Family caregivers are valuable to our economy but often need additional help in caring for a loved one. Caregiving can take an enormous toll both financially and physically. Adult day care can provide needed respite from caregiving and may reduce the need for nursing home care.