PLACERVILLE, Calif. — El Dorado County government and senior services
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors has directed staff to prepare for the closure of The Club, the county-operated adult day services program in Placerville, after reviewing declining participation, persistent staffing shortages and the cost of keeping the program running.
Under the board’s direction, the county will stop accepting new members and plan to close the program on June 30, 2027. Staff are expected to return with an update on enrollment in April 2027. The action puts a long-running support service for older adults and family caregivers on a path toward closure.
Declining attendance and staffing challenges
The county’s staff report for the Sept. 29, 2026, Board of Supervisors meeting described a program operating well below its attendance target.
Average daily attendance was 16 participants in early June 2026. By August, the schedule reflected an average of 12 participants per day, with 26 members enrolled. The report said the program needs approximately 24 to 32 daily attendees to remain sustainable.
County staff reported outreach efforts that included newspaper advertising, social media campaigns, brochures distributed to more than 40 organizations, presentations to community groups and a February 2026 open house. Those efforts increased public awareness but did not produce a measurable increase in enrollment or attendance.
Staffing has created another operational challenge. Retirements, recruitment difficulties and employee turnover have made it harder to maintain the required staff-to-client ratio of one employee for every eight participants, according to the county report. That ratio is important to safe program operations.
The financial burden on county taxpayers
The report identified a substantial General Fund contribution to support the program.
The county budgeted approximately $696,475 in General Fund support for senior day care in fiscal year 2026-27. The report also listed total appropriations of $1,088,424 and budgeted service charges of $382,500. Low attendance leaves the program unable to cover its operating and personnel costs through enrollment and fees.
The issue follows a series of county budget discussions about programs that receive discretionary General Fund support. In 2025, supervisors directed staff to consolidate the county’s two senior day care locations by closing the El Dorado Hills site and retaining Placerville. The El Dorado Hills location closed June 30, 2025, leaving Placerville as the county’s remaining senior day care site on the Western Slope.
The latest decision therefore marks a further reduction in county-operated adult day services rather than an isolated budget adjustment.
What The Club provides to older adults
The county describes The Club as a supportive environment for adults who are socially isolated or physically frail and need daytime supervision but do not require skilled nursing care.
The program offers activities intended to support physical and mental function, social connections and independence. It also provides respite for relatives and other caregivers who look after people with dementia and other chronic health conditions.
The county’s Adult Day Services webpage summarizes the benefit for families:
“The Club give families peace of mind and a break from caregiving responsibilities.”
That support can be especially important in a rural county, where transportation distances and limited service options may complicate care arrangements.
What happens next?
The board’s direction calls for the county to stop accepting new members while preparing for the planned June 30, 2027, closure. Staff are expected to provide an enrollment update in April 2027.
The county’s staff report also identified private adult day care as a possible alternative, but noted that licensed options in El Dorado County are limited. One licensed provider was identified in El Dorado Hills, while a facility in Shingle Springs was awaiting licensure at the time of the report.
That limited availability raises practical questions for current participants and their families, including where they can obtain comparable services, how they will get there and whether they can afford private care.
The county has not eliminated the underlying need for adult day services by deciding to close its facility. Instead, the decision reflects a difficult balance between maintaining a service for a relatively small group of residents and the cost of operating it with declining attendance and staffing constraints.
For families who depend on The Club, the coming months will be important. The county’s next steps and the availability of alternative care will help determine how disruptive the closure will be for older adults and the people who care for them.
Sources and public records
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eldorado.legistar.com
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eldoradocounty.ca.gov
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eldorado.legistar.com
Reporting note: The Sept. 29, 2026, meeting minutes were listed as draft when reviewed. The planned closure date and enrollment direction are reported in the available meeting summary; the final minutes should be checked for the definitive vote record.
