What adult day care is
Adult day care gives your mom or dad a safe, social place to spend the day while you work or rest. They come home each evening. Most programs run on weekdays and serve a meal, and many offer rides.
There are two main kinds in California, and the difference matters for cost.
Adult day programs (social model)
These focus on activities, meals, exercise and supervision. They are licensed by the California Department of Social Services. They are a good fit for someone who is lonely, a bit forgetful, or not safe alone all day, but does not need nursing care.
Adult day health care, called CBAS
Adult day health care adds medical services. In California, Medi-Cal covers it through a benefit called Community-Based Adult Services, or CBAS. CBAS centers offer nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy, mental health services, personal care, hot meals, social services and rides to and from home.
To get CBAS through Medi-Cal, a person must be 18 or older, have Medi-Cal, and meet medical need rules. It is usually approved through the person's Medi-Cal managed care plan. CBAS centers are licensed by the California Department of Public Health and certified by the California Department of Aging.
Who adult day care helps
- Working caregivers. Your dad is safe and busy while you are at work.
- Tired caregivers. A few days a week gives you real respite, which helps you keep going longer.
- People with dementia. Structure, music and activity can ease boredom and restlessness. Several Fresno CBAS centers list Alzheimer's and dementia among the groups they serve.
- People after a stroke or hospital stay who still need therapy or nursing checks.
If late afternoons are the hardest part of your mom's day, read our page on sundowning. A full, active day sometimes helps evenings go better.
What adult day care costs
The 2025 CareScout Cost of Care Survey put the national median for adult day health care at $95 a day. For California, the 2024 survey put adult day care at about $23,400 a year. Fresno prices vary by program and by how many days a week your parent goes, so ask each one for its current daily rate.
For people who qualify, Medi-Cal pays for CBAS. The VA offers adult day health care to some enrolled veterans, and long-term care insurance often pays too.
Compare that with an in-home caregiver from an agency at around $30 to $36 an hour in Fresno. A full day at home with an aide can cost more than a day at a program. Our respite and in-home care page explains those options.
Tell us what's going on. We'll text you licensed homes that fit, with real prices, and tour them with you.
CBAS adult day health care centers in Fresno
These Fresno centers are listed as open in the California Department of Aging's CBAS directory. Call to ask about openings, languages, rides and whether they work with your parent's Medi-Cal plan.
- Adult Day Health Care of Fresno and Clovis, North First Street, (559) 227-8600
- Bright Horizon ADHC, West Beechwood Avenue, (559) 261-0707
- Fresno Community Based Adult Services Center, Fulton Street, (559) 512-2227
- Guardian Angel's Adult Day Health Care, East McKinley Avenue, (559) 492-2876
- Heritage Adult Day Health Care Center, North Weber Avenue, (559) 222-0304
- The Fresno Center ADHC, (559) 255-8395
- Valley Adult Day Health Care Center, C Street, (559) 454-0386
The state keeps the full, current list on the California Department of Aging CBAS page. For other caregiver help in the area, Valley Caregiver Resource Center in Fresno is a good place to start.
Questions to ask on a visit
- What days and hours are you open?
- Do you provide rides, and from which parts of Fresno or Clovis?
- How many staff are there for each participant?
- Can you handle incontinence, wandering or a walker?
- Is there a nurse on site, and who helps with medications?
- What languages do staff speak?
- What happens if my mom has a hard day?
When adult day care is not enough
Adult day care works best when evenings and nights at home are safe. If your dad wanders at night, falls often, or you are worn out, it may be time to look at a care home. A small board and care home in Fresno starts around $3,700 a month, and memory care is often $7,000 or more.
We can help you think it through. Call or text (559) 550-4533, 8am to 8pm every day. Our help is free to families. The licensed homes we work with pay us a referral fee.
Updated September 2026 by Shaun and Nick, co-founders of CalValley Senior Living Advisors.