The adult day care component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) offers federal funding for meals to adult day care centers. These centers enable elderly and disabled adults to remain in their own home or in the home of a family member, guardian, or other care giver, and avoid premature institutionalization. The CACFP plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care and making it more affordable for many low-income families. The program provides meals and snacks to 112,000 adults who receive care in nonresidential adult day care centers.
The purpose of this handbook is to help adult day care centers and sponsors of these centers meet federal requirements for meal reimbursement under CACFP. The handbook contains a wide range of information about the adult day care component of CACFP, including explanations of key aspects of the program, program resources, definitions of program-related terminology, and information on additional programs for older adults.