Red Oak Adult Day Care, With Ellis County Support Behind It

Red Oak’s senior center is open two mornings a week, Wednesday and Thursday, from 8:30 to 1:00. For an independent older adult, that is a pleasant routine of dominoes, cards and a light breakfast. For a family caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, it leaves every other weekday hour uncovered. When we checked in September 2026, we found no adult day program in Red Oak or anywhere in northern Ellis County. Our DeSoto center, a licensed day program built for memory loss, is 9.8 miles from the Red Oak Municipal Center, about 17 minutes up I-35E.

  • Memory loss is our specialty
  • Nurse on duty daily
  • 1:5 staffing
  • Meals made on site
  • VA North Texas contracted
Call Plano Call Richardson Call DeSoto

Ellis County Changes Who Helps You

Red Oak sits entirely in Ellis County, and that one fact changes the support system around a caregiver. The Dallas County programs you may read about elsewhere do not apply here. Ellis County is served by the North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging, part of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and its programs are worth a phone call (800-272-3921).

Caregiver Respite vouchers. The agency's standard one-time benefit is $800, which a caregiver can use all at once or gradually over three months, with a provider they trust. Ask whether it can be applied to days at our center.

Priority for dementia caregivers. Its caregiver support coordination gives priority to people caring for someone living with dementia, and eligibility covers caregivers of a person of any age with dementia.

Dementia Friendly North Central Texas(https://www.nctcog.org/aging-services/dementia-friendly). Help finding services, dementia training, one-on-one caregiver education and respite, free to those who qualify.

One caution: the agency notes that budget cuts for the coming year will affect how many people it can reach, so apply early.

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From Red Oak to Our Door

OpenStreetMap routing takes you from central Red Oak along Red Oak Road to I-35E north, west on Parkerville Road, north on Cockrell Hill Road and west on Belt Line Road to our center. The trip is about 10 miles and 17 minutes in light traffic. Our DeSoto center is open weekdays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, so a parent can ride in with a family member commuting north toward Dallas.  

Schedule a Tour and time the I-35E drive at your usual hour.

Transportation Is the Hard Part

We do not provide transportation, and Red Oak has fewer options than any city in Dallas County. Red Oak is not a DART member city. STAR Transit’s published service covers Dallas and Kaufman counties, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Get-A-Ride Guide, though another council page still lists STAR for Ellis County, so call STAR at 877-631-5278 to be sure. The same guide lists private and specialized ride services that cover Ellis County, including door-through-door providers and non-emergency medical transportation, and veterans can ask about VA travel benefits.  

For most Red Oak families, a relative drives.

Keeping Your Parent Safe During the Day

Safety is the first question to ask. A parent who leaves the stove on, wanders out to the mailbox and keeps walking, or takes the wrong pills is not safe alone for a workday, no matter how well they seem at breakfast.  

At our center, staff trained in dementia care supervise members all day at a ratio of one staff member to every five members. A licensed nurse is on duty every day to give medications, check blood pressure and glucose, assist with oxygen and carry out treatments. Staff pass criminal background checks and hold CPR and first aid certification. We keep written plans for fire, power failure, severe weather and other emergencies, and we practice them with monthly drills.  

Our article on Alzheimer’s and dementia safety has practical steps for making the house safer on the days your parent is home.

What Fills the Day

Members start with breakfast and a morning snack, then move through exercise twice a day, music and a daily sing-along, trivia, crafts, a book club, therapy dogs and visiting performers. Lunch is hot and cooked in our own kitchen from menus a licensed dietitian reviews; more on that is on our nutrition and dietary services page. Recliners and a bedroom are available for rest, and showers, shaves, hair care and nail care are offered too. 

Red Oak Resources

  • Senior Citizen Center of Red Oak, 207 West Red Oak Road, open to adults 55 and older on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM, with breakfast both days and lunch on Thursdays. It costs $3 a week for residents. Details are on the city’s senior activities page.
  • Medical care nearby. Medical City ER Red Oak, a freestanding emergency room on East Ovilla Road; Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Waxahachie; and Methodist Midlothian Medical Center. The Methodist Family Health Center on Plaza Drive offers primary care in town.
  • Local history for reminiscing. Red Oak was first called “Possum Trot,” took its name from Red Oak Creek, and moved to the railroad tracks in 1893. The Texas Interurban Railway once ran through town between Waxahachie and Dallas. Stories like these can make good conversation starters with a parent whose older memories are often clearer than recent ones.
  • Our caregiver support group meets at the DeSoto center on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 2:00 PM, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association and open to anyone. It is the nearest in-person group we could confirm for Red Oak families.
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Cost and Coverage

Our DeSoto rate sheet starts at $75 for a reserved half day of five hours or less and $95 for a reserved full day. Members who need more hands-on help with walking, toileting or disease-related behaviors pay a higher daily rate after an assessment. Enrollment is a one-time $65. Current rates are on the DeSoto days, hours and costs page.  

Almost all long-term care insurance policies cover adult day services. Our DeSoto center is contracted with the VA North Texas Health Care System, so eligible veterans referred by a VA physician usually attend at no cost; see our veterans page.

Who We Serve

Adults 50 and older with memory loss, or who fit well with a group that has it. No diagnosis is required. Members must walk on their own or with a walker, cane or staff help; the center cannot accommodate wheelchairs. Days are reserved in advance.

Nearby Areas We Serve

North on I-35E, our page on adult day care in Lancaster covers the Belt Line route. West of Red Oak, Ovilla families are the closest we serve in Ellis County.

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

Is there adult day care in Red Oak, TX?

We found no adult day program in Red Oak or northern Ellis County in September 2026. Our DeSoto center is about 17 minutes away.

Can the $800 respite voucher pay for days at your center?

Ask the North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging (800-272-3921). The voucher is meant to be used with a provider the caregiver trusts, and the agency decides eligibility.

Does STAR Transit serve Red Oak?

Sources conflict. Call STAR at 877-631-5278 before counting on it.

What does adult day care cost?

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

Why not just use the senior center?

It is open two mornings a week and is built for independent adults. A parent with dementia usually needs supervision and a nurse through the full workday.

Do you serve Ellis County veterans?

Yes. Eligible veterans referred by a VA physician usually attend at no cost.

Visit the DeSoto Center

Seventeen minutes up the interstate. Come see the program running on a weekday.