Honolulu Senior AdvisorWhat does adult day care provide on Oahu?
Adult day care centers on Oahu provide supervised activities, meals or snacks, social contact and help with daily needs during weekday hours for older adults who live at home, and some centers specialize in people with dementia.
The Department of Health certifies 23 adult day care centers on Oahu, with 1,025 certified places in all.
What does adult day care cost?
CareScout's 2025 Hawaii median for adult day health care is $30,615 a year for five days a week, about $2,551 a month, and many families use two or three days a week; EAD and Med-QUEST long-term care can help pay for eligible participants.
Ask each center about its daily rate, transportation, and whether it accepts Med-QUEST health plans or EAD funding.
Who is adult day care right for?
Adult day care is right for an older adult who should not be alone all day, enjoys company, can travel to a center, and lives with a caregiver who works or needs regular breaks.
It can also be a gentle first step before a move, getting a kupuna used to a group setting.
How do we choose an adult day care center?
Choose an adult day care center by visiting during activities, asking about staff-to-participant ratios, dementia support, meals, medication help, hours and transportation, and checking its certificate and OHCA inspection reports.
Ask whether the center can handle your parent's mobility and continence needs, and what happens if they become unwell during the day.
What can't adult day care do?
Adult day care cannot cover evenings, nights or weekends, does not provide skilled nursing beyond what a center is certified for, and depends on the participant being able to travel to the center.
For a family caregiver who works full time, adult day care usually covers the workday but not the hours before and after, so it is often combined with family help or a few hours of home care.
Is adult day care the same as adult day health?
Not quite: adult day care centers provide supervision, activities and meals, while adult day health centers also provide health services such as nursing and therapy and are licensed through OHCA's Medicare Section.
CareScout's Hawaii median is for adult day health care. Ask each center which kind it is, because Med-QUEST and insurance may treat them differently.
At a glance
| Adult day care offers | Adult day care does not offer | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Supervised weekday hours | Nights or weekends |
| Company | Activities and peers | One-to-one care all day |
| Caregivers | Regular respite | A replacement for overnight help |
| Cost | About $2,551/month median for 5 days | Free care for everyone |
Sources include Hawaii Administrative Rules chapters 11-100.1, 11-90 and 11-800, HRS 321-481 and 321-1.8, Office of Health Care Assurance rosters and pages, the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines, CMS, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
