Ovilla's Nearest Dementia Day Program Is One Road Away

Ovilla City Hall sits on Cockrell Hill Road. So, in a sense, does our DeSoto center: follow Cockrell Hill north out of town, turn onto Belt Line Road, and you are there, about 3.5 miles and 7 minutes by OpenStreetMap’s routing. No other city we serve is closer to one of our centers. For an Ovilla family caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, that makes Friends Place DeSoto a practical choice for weekday care: a licensed adult day program built around memory loss, with a nurse on duty every day.

  • Dementia day program
  • Licensed nurse on duty daily
  • One staff member for every five members
  • Meals cooked in our kitchen
  • VA North Texas contracted
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An Older Town With Few Local Services

Ovilla has the oldest population of any city we serve. The Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey counts 866 residents aged 65 and older, 19.8% of the town, and the city’s own profile puts the median resident age at 44.1. Yet Ovilla has no senior center and no public library of its own, and it is not served by DART. Families here look to neighboring towns for help.  

For a parent with memory loss, that usually means one of two things: a family member who cannot leave the house, or a daily trip somewhere else. We are the shortest of those trips.

What a Senior Center Nearby Can and Cannot Do

The closest senior centers to Ovilla are in neighboring towns. The DeSoto Senior Activity Center on Lion Street is open weekdays for adults 50 and older with a membership card. The Red Oak senior center opens on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Cedar Hill’s Senior Activity Center on Mansfield Road serves adults 55 and older. Details for DeSoto’s center are on the city’s Senior Activity Center page.  

All three serve independent older adults who can take part and leave on their own. A parent with dementia who needs supervision, medication help or a hand in the restroom needs a day program instead. That is the only kind of program we run.

The Day at Our Center

Members arrive to breakfast and a morning snack, then settle into a steady rhythm:  

  • exercise twice a day,
  • music, a daily sing-along and live entertainment,
  • trivia, word games and mind fitness activities,
  • arts and crafts, a book club and therapy dog visits,
  • a hot lunch cooked in our kitchen from dietitian-reviewed menus,
  • recliners and a quiet bedroom for rest.

See our recreational and therapeutic activities page for the full range. A licensed nurse is on duty daily for medications, blood pressure and glucose checks, oxygen help and treatments, and staff help with walking, toileting and personal care.  

Feeling safe is the foundation of all of it. Our article on feeling safe when living with Alzheimer’s is written for families thinking about exactly that.

Getting Here

Take Cockrell Hill Road north from Ovilla to West Belt Line Road and turn left. That is the whole route. Our DeSoto center is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.  

We do not provide transportation, and Ovilla has no public transit to speak of. It is not a DART member city, and we could not confirm STAR Transit service for either the Ellis County or Dallas County part of town. At seven minutes, a family member driving is the realistic answer for nearly every Ovilla household.  

Schedule a Tour. It will take you less time to get here than to read this page.

Which County, Which Agency

Ovilla lies mostly in Ellis County, with part of the town extending into Dallas County. The Area Agency on Aging that can help you depends on which side of that line your parent lives on.  

  • Ellis County addresses: the North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging (800-272-3921), which offers dementia caregiver support, its Dementia Friendly program and a one-time respite voucher.
  • Dallas County addresses: the Dallas Area Agency on Aging (214-871-5065), whose caregiver support includes respite for unpaid caregivers of someone of any age with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia.
Contact Us Schedule a Tour

Cost

Our DeSoto rate sheet starts at $75 for a reserved half day of five hours or less and $95 for a reserved full day, with higher daily rates for members who need more hands-on help. Enrollment is a one-time $65. Current prices are on the DeSoto days, hours and costs page.  

Almost all long-term care insurance policies cover adult day services, and we help families verify benefits. Eligible veterans referred by a VA physician usually attend at no cost under our VA North Texas contract; see our veterans page.

Ovilla Places Worth a Visit Together

On weekends, familiar places can do a parent with dementia good. Heritage Park on West Main Street sits on the site of the old Ovilla Cotton Gin, with a Veterans Memorial, a Blue Star Memorial, the historic cotton gin scales and a gazebo beside Red Oak Creek. The city hosts Christmas in the Park there each year, and Heritage Day, with its parade and car show, at Cindy Jones and Founders Park behind City Hall.  

A little local history can spark conversation, too. The city describes Ovilla as the oldest town in Ellis County, begun in 1844. It incorporated in 1963, according to the Texas State Historical Association, “to escape annexation by DeSoto.” We are glad Ovilla families are willing to come to DeSoto now, if only for the day.

Our Support Group

Our caregiver support group meets at the DeSoto center on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 2:00 PM. It is sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association and open to anyone, and it is the closest in-person group we could confirm for Ovilla.

Contact Us Schedule a Tour

Who We Serve

Adults 50 and older with memory loss, or who fit well with members who have it. No diagnosis is required. Members must walk on their own or with a walker, cane or staff help; we cannot accommodate wheelchairs.

Neighboring Areas

East of Ovilla, our page on adult day care in Red Oak covers Ellis County resources in more depth. North, Cedar Hill families have their own page on the Belt Line route.

1960 Nantucket Dr, Richardson, TX 75080
(972) 437-2940  |  Get Directions
1232 W. Belt Line Rd, DeSoto, TX 75115
(972) 274-2484  |  Get Directions
4682 McDermott Rd, Plano, TX 75024
(972) 437-2940  |  Get Directions

Frequently Asked Questions

How close is your center to Ovilla?

About 3.5 miles and 7 minutes up Cockrell Hill Road to Belt Line Road.

Is there a senior center in Ovilla?

No. The nearest are in DeSoto, Red Oak and Cedar Hill, and all serve independent older adults.

What does it cost?

From $75 for a reserved half day and $95 for a reserved full day, plus a one-time $65 enrollment fee.

Do you accept long-term care insurance?

Yes. Almost all long-term care policies cover adult day services, and we help you verify benefits.

Which aging agency do I call from Ovilla?

The North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging for Ellis County addresses, and the Dallas Area Agency on Aging for Dallas County addresses.

Seven Minutes Away

Come see the program on a weekday morning.