Day care programs provide the person with Alzheimer's disease opportunities to interact with others, usually in a community center or facility. Staff lead various activities such as music and art programs and support groups. Day care programs are structured on two types of models: the social model and the medical model.

Social model day programs offer recreation and socialization opportunities for persons with dementia, in a secure environment with trained staff. Each program is slightly different and has different requirements. Almost all offer lunch and many offer transportation. The cost of these programs varies a great deal. The best way to be sure a program is a good fit for a particular person's functional ability, need for service, and financial resources is to visit, watch what goes on, and ask a lot of questions.

Medical model day programs are designed for persons with medical problems (including dementia) who may require one or more of the following services: monitoring, nursing care, social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nutritional counseling, or recreational therapy, in addition to socialization. As a result, they are significantly more expensive than social model adult day care. If the person with dementia appears to need medical model care, but does not have the income or assets to pay for it, talk to a social worker at the center about the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, which covers medical model adult day programs.

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