What is Call Mabel and how does it work?

Call Mabel is an AI companion-calling service for adults 60+ and their families. Mabel is a warm AI voice who calls on any regular phone — no app, no device. She remembers your stories, reminds you about medications, books appointments for you, detects emergencies, and alerts your family the moment something feels off. Every call builds on the last one. Setup takes 10 minutes over a single phone call.

How much does Call Mabel cost?

Plans start at $29.97/month for the Companion tier (Mabel + 2,000 Mabel Credits per month) and go up to $179.97/month for the Premier tier (ALL 15 companions + 24/7 monitoring and telehealth coming soon + full AI concierge + 12,000 Mabel Credits per month). Each plan includes a monthly Mabel Credits pool — buy more anytime starting at $5 for 500 credits. Schedule calls however works for you; your credits pool is your only limit. Annual billing gets you 2 months free on every plan. There are no contracts, no setup fees, and no cancellation fees.

Does Call Mabel replace my doctor or an in-home caregiver?

No. Call Mabel is a complement to medical care, not a replacement. Mabel helps you prepare for doctor visits, debriefs after them, reminds you about medications, and catches early warning signs — but she does not diagnose, treat, or provide physical care. For hands-on needs (bathing, wound care, mobility support), an in-home caregiver or home health aide is the right choice. Mabel works wonderfully alongside them.

Is my data safe? How does Call Mabel protect my information?

Your data is treated with healthcare-grade security: encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+), encrypted at rest, access controls, audit logs, and regular security reviews. We never sell your data to advertisers, third parties, or anyone else. You can request full deletion of your data at any time — we honor those requests within 30 days. Call Mabel is a direct-to-consumer service, not a HIPAA-covered healthcare provider, so HIPAA-specific consumer rights do not apply; your information is protected by our contractual commitments and applicable consumer privacy laws.

Can I try Call Mabel for free before subscribing?

Yes. Every visitor can talk to Mabel for free directly from our homepage. Click the "Talk to Mabel" button for a live voice conversation with the real Mabel AI, no signup required. There is no trial period after subscription, but you can cancel anytime with no questions asked.

Does Call Mabel work on a regular phone? No smartphone needed?

Yes — any landline or mobile phone works. Mabel calls like any other caller. No smartphone, tablet, wearable, or smart speaker is needed. Families who want extra features (family dashboard, document vault, brain games) can access those through a web browser — but the core Mabel experience is 100% phone-based for seniors.

What happens if Mabel detects an emergency?

Mabel is trained to listen for distress signals — sudden changes in tone, confusion, mentions of pain, falls, or anything unusual. When something is wrong, Mabel stays calm on the line, asks clarifying questions, and immediately alerts your listed emergency contacts. If needed, she helps dispatch 911. You will get a full call recording and summary emailed within minutes.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes, with one click from your billing dashboard — no phone tag, no "please stay" scripts, no cancellation fees. Your access stays active through the end of your current billing period. If you paid annually, you can request a prorated refund within the first 30 days.

Who are "Mabel & Friends"? Do I have to use them all?

Mabel is the main companion, but every plan unlocks specialized "Friends" — Clara (memory games), Vince (movement), Max (organizer), Hank (home helper), and more. You never have to use them. They are there if a day calls for a specialist. Most users stick mostly with Mabel and occasionally chat with a Friend when the moment fits.

How is Call Mabel different from assisted living or Papa?

Assisted living costs $5,000–$10,000/month and requires moving out of the home. In-home caregivers cost $4,000–$8,000/month and only help when present. Papa connects you to rotating human pals who usually do not know your history. Call Mabel starts at $29.97/month, keeps you in your home, and remembers every detail of every conversation. It is a new category.

Can family members access my Call Mabel account?

Yes. Family members get their own dashboard login with configurable permissions. They can add to Mabel's notebook (family birthdays, favorite stories, upcoming events), receive safety alerts, view call summaries, and co-manage appointments. You control exactly who can see what. The Family plan supports up to 3 members; Premier supports unlimited.

What languages does Mabel speak?

Mabel speaks English today, with warm Southern and general American accents available. Spanish is in active development (expected 2026). If you need another language, email us — we prioritize the requests we hear most.

← Call Mabel

A practical family guide

Adult Day Care

Adult day care — increasingly called adult day services in the industry — is one of the most under-used and under-known senior care options in the US. About 5,500 adult day care centers operate nationally (National Adult Day Services Association), serving seniors who need daytime supervision and social engagement while family is at work — at $80-130/day, dramatically cheaper than in-home aides or facility care.

This is the honest 2026 family guide: the 3 types of programs, what each costs, Medicare and Medicaid coverage, how to choose a quality center, and when adult day care is the right answer vs. in-home aide vs. facility care.

Prefer to watch? Watch on YouTube ↗

The 3 types of adult day care programs

1. Social model (most common)

Activity-focused programs for seniors who are generally healthy but isolated or mildly cognitively impaired. Programming: arts and crafts, music, gentle group exercise, cognitive games, group meals, occasional outings, supervised socializing. Staff: trained activity directors, aides, no nurse required. Best fit for: seniors with mild cognitive impairment, recent widowhood, social isolation, family caregivers wanting respite while working.

2. Medical / health model

Programs that include nursing oversight, medication management, physical/occupational/speech therapy, vital signs monitoring, and chronic-condition management. Staff: RN on duty, often PT/OT/ST, social worker. Best fit for: seniors with significant medical needs, post-hospital recovery, multiple chronic conditions, complex medication regimens.

3. Dementia-specific (sometimes "memory day care")

Secure environments with specialized programming for Alzheimer's and other dementias. Smaller groups (1:6 staff ratio typical), trained dementia staff, structured routine, music + reminiscence therapy, redirected behavior management. Best fit for: middle-stage dementia patients who can no longer be safely alone but don't yet need facility memory care.

What adult day care actually costs in 2026

Schedule	National average cost (2026)	Compare to
Full day (8-10 hours)	$80-130/day	vs. in-home aide $200-350/day for same coverage
Half day (4-5 hours)	$50-80/day	vs. 4 hrs in-home aide $100-140
3 days/week × full day	$1,000-1,700/month	vs. 3 days/wk in-home $2,400-4,200/mo
5 days/week × full day	$1,700-2,800/month	vs. full-time in-home $4,000-6,000/mo or assisted living $5,000-10,000/mo

State-by-state ranges (Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2024):

California: $75-100/day
Texas: $40-80/day
Florida: $65-100/day
New York: $85-150/day
Rural areas: $40-65/day

What's usually included

Programs and activities
Snacks + hot lunch
Supervision and basic care
Transportation (door-to-door in most centers)
Medication reminders
Health monitoring (medical-model centers)

What often costs extra

Personal-care assistance — showering, dressing, toileting help in some centers (typically $10-20/day extra)
Specialized therapy in social-model centers
Weekend or evening hours where available
Field trips or special events

How adult day care gets paid for

Medicare (mostly no)

Original Medicare does NOT cover adult day care. The service is non-medical custodial care, which Medicare excludes.

Medicare Advantage (sometimes yes)

Some Medicare Advantage plans now offer adult day care as a supplemental benefit, especially Special Needs Plans (SNPs) for dual-eligible or chronically-ill seniors. Coverage is typically limited (40-80 hours per year). Check your Evidence of Coverage document.

Medicaid HCBS waivers (commonly yes)

Most states' HCBS waivers cover adult day care for qualifying low-income seniors. About 80% of adult day care participants receive Medicaid coverage per the National Adult Day Services Association. See our Medicaid guide.

PACE program (built in)

For dual-eligible seniors enrolled in PACE, adult day care is built into the program at $0 out of pocket. See our PACE program guide.

Other payment paths

VA Aid & Attendance — eligible wartime veterans and surviving spouses can apply benefits to adult day care
Long-term care insurance — most modern policies cover adult day care; check policy language
State + local subsidies — many states have state-funded adult day care subsidies for low-income seniors above Medicaid thresholds. Area Agency on Aging knows local options.
Alzheimer's/dementia grants — some local Alzheimer's Association chapters fund respite-style adult day care
Employer dependent-care FSAs — eldercare for a dependent parent qualifies in some cases; check IRS Publication 503
Self-pay — common for higher-income families. Often paid from the senior's own assets.

Adult day care vs. in-home aide vs. assisted living

	Adult day care	In-home aide	Assisted living
Cost (full-time)	$1,700-2,800/mo	$4,000-6,000/mo	$5,000-10,000/mo
Where	Day center (transported)	Their home	Facility (move out)
Social engagement	High — groups, activities	Low — 1:1 with aide	Medium — depends on resident participation
Coverage hours	Weekday daytime only	Flexible	24/7
Best for	Working family, social-isolated senior, mild dementia	Homebound senior, severe needs, refuses to leave home	Senior needing 24/7 supervision without family

The common hybrid: adult day care 3 days/week + in-home aide 2 days/week. Total ~$2,500-3,500/mo. Cheaper than full-time aide. More social than aide-only. Lets family work without 24/7 worry. Most cost-effective senior care setup for moderate needs.

How to choose a quality adult day care center

Where to find programs

National Adult Day Services Association directory (nadsa.org) — searchable by zip
Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov) — your local Area Agency on Aging maintains a list
Hospital discharge planners — frequently refer after senior hospitalizations
State licensure websites — most states license adult day care; the licensure database lists active programs with inspection history

10 questions to ask before enrolling

Are you state-licensed? Can I see the most recent inspection report?
What is your staff-to-participant ratio? (1:6 is good; 1:8+ is concerning)
What is staff training, especially for dementia?
Do you have an RN on staff? How is medication management handled?
Is transportation included?
What does a typical day look like — activity by activity?
What's the participant population — average age, cognitive level, gender mix?
Can I do a trial visit before enrolling?
What's the full pricing including any add-on fees?
What happens during behavioral issues or medical emergencies?

Red flags

No state licensure or recent inspection record
Frequent staff turnover
Unpleasant smells (sign of inadequate hygiene support)
TVs running all day with no other programming
Staff dismissive of family questions
No medical capability for medication management
Pricing that won't be put in writing

Visit 2-3 centers in person before choosing

Don't make this decision by phone. Walk in unannounced if possible (good centers welcome it). Take your parent on a trial day before committing. Pay attention to staff energy, participant engagement, smells, sight-lines (can you see what's happening or are participants tucked away).

Where Call Mabel fits with adult day care

Adult day care covers weekdays. Evenings and weekends remain. Most adult day care participants return home around 4-6pm and spend the rest of the day + all weekend at home — often alone.

Mabel fills the at-home hours with a daily morning call (set the time before day care pickup), medication reminders for evening doses, family alerts if Mabel detects distress, and conversational continuity across both home and day care contexts. Many families pair adult day care with Mabel as the complete daytime + nighttime care framework.

Plans from $29.97/mo.

How it works See plans

Frequently asked questions

What is adult day care?

A non-residential program providing daytime supervision, structured activities, meals, and often health services for seniors who need it. Three types: social model (recreation-focused), medical/health model (with nursing), dementia-specific (secure environment). Programs operate weekdays 7am-6pm typically. About 5,500 centers operate in the US per the National Adult Day Services Association.

How much does adult day care cost?

$80-130/day nationally in 2026 (Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2024). 5 days/week full-time = $1,700-2,800/mo. About 50-70% cheaper than in-home aide for the same coverage hours, and much cheaper than assisted living.

Does Medicare pay for adult day care?

Original Medicare does NOT. Coverage paths: some Medicare Advantage plans (limited hours); Medicaid HCBS waivers (covers about 80% of adult day care participants); PACE program (built in); VA Aid & Attendance; long-term care insurance; state subsidies; dependent-care FSAs.

What is another name for adult day care?

Adult day services (the official industry term), adult day program, senior day care, adult day health care (medical model), memory care day program (dementia-specific). Distinct from senior centers (no supervision, no transport, no health services) and adult congregate living (residential, not daytime-only).

Adult day care vs in-home aide — which is better?

Different fits. Adult day care wins for: social engagement, lower cost, reliable schedule, ambulatory seniors. In-home aide wins for: bedbound seniors, severe behavioral issues, refusal to leave home, irregular schedule needs, rural areas without day care. Many families combine both — adult day care 3 days/week + in-home aide 2 days = often the most cost-effective + most enriching senior care setup.

How do I find a good adult day care center?

Sources: National Adult Day Services Association directory (nadsa.org), Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov), area hospitals, state licensure websites. Ask about licensure + recent inspections, staff-to-participant ratio (1:6 good, 1:8+ concerning), RN on staff, transportation, full pricing, what a typical day looks like, trial visits. Red flags: no licensure, frequent staff turnover, TVs running all day, dismissive of family questions. Visit 2-3 centers in person before choosing.

Trusted resources

National Adult Day Services Association (nadsa.org) — national directory + standards
AARP Adult Day Care (aarp.org/caregiving/home-care/adult-day-care/) — overview for family caregivers
Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov) — find local programs through your Area Agency on Aging
Genworth Cost of Care Survey (genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care) — annual cost benchmarks by state
Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) — dementia-specific adult day program guidance
HelpGuide.org (helpguide.org/aging/healthy-aging/adult-day-care-services) — practical evaluation guide
State licensure databases — searchable inspection histories (Google "[your state] adult day care licensure")

Reviewed by the Call Mabel team. Last reviewed: May 13, 2026.

We cite primary sources from the National Adult Day Services Association, AARP, Genworth Cost of Care Survey, and the Alzheimer's Association. We do not accept paid placement in our content.