Survey Says: Adult Day is Growing, Serving More Complex Needs

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Jodi Boyne

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) posted an analysis of data collected as part of the National Study for Long-Term Care Providers. The study is conducted every two years to monitor the trend in supply, provision and use of the major, regulated long-term services and supports.  

NCHS focused on adult day in its first issue brief. Key findings include:

• An estimated 286,300 individuals were enrolled in adult day services in 2016;
• For-profit adult day providers have grown from 40 percent in 2012 to 45 percent in 2016, and serve more people covered by Medicaid (73 percent) and a higher percentage of non-white individuals;
• Non-profit adult day providers serve people with more complex needs and people with dementia; and were more likely to serve people who recently experienced a hospital stay;
• Most adult day services clients live in a private residence, either with a relative (51 percent) or alone (19 percent); only 1.5 percent live in a nursing home.

As the adult day services population mix changes, providers will need to target services to clients with more complex needs and market those services with key referral partners. For more information, see Adult Day Services Participant Characteristics.