Duncanville Adult Day Care, Ten Minutes From Our DeSoto Center

Duncanville takes its older residents seriously. The city says it was one of the first communities designated a Certified Retirement Community by the Texas Department of Agriculture, back in 2007, and its share of residents aged 65 and older, 16.5% in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, is the highest of any Dallas County city we serve. When one of those residents develops Alzheimer’s or another dementia, the family needs something beyond a good senior center. Our DeSoto center, a licensed adult day program for memory loss, is 5.1 miles from Duncanville City Hall, about 10 minutes away.

  • Built for memory loss
  • Licensed nurse on duty daily
  • 1:5 staff-to-member ratio
  • Meals cooked on site
  • VA North Texas contracted
Call Plano Call Richardson Call DeSoto

When a Parent Outgrows the Hopkins Center

The D.L. Hopkins Jr. Senior Center on James Collins Boulevard is a fine place for active older adults: exercise and dance classes, ceramics, bridge on Wednesdays, trips, health screenings, and a free weekday lunch for those 60 and older. Its doors close at 3:00 PM, and its van, which brings Duncanville residents to the center, does not pick up from memory care, rehabilitation or assisted living residences.  

Those details reflect what a senior center is for: independent adults who can join in and head home on their own. Often the change shows up before anyone says the word “dementia.” Dad stops going to bridge because he cannot follow the bidding. Mom calls home twice from the center, confused about how she got there. She cannot be left alone in the afternoon once the center closes.  

That is when a dementia day program makes sense. We stay open until 5:00 PM, a nurse is on duty all day, and every staff member is trained for the confusion and anxiety that come with memory loss. 

STAR Transit for Duncanville Riders

We do not provide transportation, and Duncanville is not a DART city, so DART Paratransit is not an option. The city’s transit partner since 2023 is STAR Transit, and its Duncanville service offers two useful options for older riders:  

  • STARNow, on-demand rides booked by app or at 877-631-5278, weekdays 6 AM to 6 PM, with a $1 fare for seniors 60 and older, veterans and riders with disabilities.
  • STAR Demand Response, shared rides scheduled up to two weeks ahead, with destinations that include neighboring cities such as Cedar Hill and DeSoto.

Whether STAR will run a recurring weekday trip from your home to our center, and how drop-off works for a rider with memory loss, is something to confirm with STAR before you enroll. A person with moderate dementia should not ride alone without someone meeting them at both ends.

Ten Minutes, Mostly on Cockrell Hill Road

From central Duncanville, OpenStreetMap routing takes you along South Main Street, east on Danieldale Road, south on Cockrell Hill Road and west on Belt Line Road to our center. It is about 5 miles and 10 minutes in light traffic.  

Our DeSoto center is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays. A full day can cover most of that window.  

Schedule a Tour on your way to work one morning.

Meals, Handled

Sometimes the first sign of trouble is in the refrigerator: expired food, meals that were never eaten, or the same thing eaten every day. At our center, every meal and snack is made in our own kitchen from menus a licensed dietitian reviews. Members start with a continental breakfast and a morning snack, and lunch is hot and served restaurant style. Staff help at the table with prompts, cues and adaptive equipment, supervise members who have choking precautions, and bring water and juice around at least three times a day. Special diets and allergies are handled in the kitchen. See our nutrition and dietary services page.

A Nurse and a Plan for Bad Days

A licensed nurse is on duty at our DeSoto center every day we are open, to give medications, check blood pressure and glucose, assist with oxygen, carry out treatments and track weight. If a member becomes ill, they rest in the nurse’s office or the center’s bedroom with a staff member beside them until family or paramedics arrive, and we follow written emergency procedures that we drill every month.  

The nearest hospital for most of Duncanville is Methodist Southwest Medical Center on West Wheatland Road, which was called Methodist Charlton Medical Center until it was renamed on August 1, 2026. If your parent ever does need a hospital stay, our article on dementia and emergency hospitalization explains how to prepare. 

Contact Us Schedule a Tour

What It Costs

Our DeSoto rate sheet starts at $75 for a reserved half day and $95 for a reserved full day. Members who need more hands-on help with walking, toileting or disease-related behaviors such as wandering pay a higher daily rate, set after an assessment. 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. Eligible veterans referred by a VA physician usually attend at no cost under our VA North Texas contract; see our veterans page. Duncanville is entirely in Dallas County, so the Dallas Area Agency on Aging (214-871-5065) can help too: its caregiver support includes respite for unpaid caregivers of someone of any age with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, plus benefits counseling and legal help with powers of attorney.

Duncanville Connections Worth Using

  • The Duncanville Public Library on James Collins Boulevard shares borrowing privileges with the Cedar Hill, DeSoto and Lancaster libraries, so a card works near our center too.
  • Main Street and the DuncanSwitch market on the third Saturday of the month, named for the 1880s Duncan Switch railroad stop, can be a good outing for a parent who enjoys familiar places.
  • Our caregiver support group meets at the DeSoto center on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 2:00 PM. It is sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association and open to anyone.
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 walk on their own or with a walker, cane or staff help; the center does not accommodate wheelchairs. We ask families to reserve days so we can keep one staff member for every five members.

Nearby Areas

Northeast of Duncanville, our Oak Cliff page covers the US-67 route. Just south, adult day care for Cedar Hill families is four miles down Belt Line. West, our page on adult day care in Grand Prairie covers the three-county question.

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 far is your center from Duncanville?

About 5 miles and 10 minutes from central Duncanville, via Cockrell Hill Road and Belt Line Road.

Can the Hopkins Senior Center van bring my mother to you?

No. That van goes to the Hopkins Center, and the city notes it does not pick up from memory care or assisted living residences. STAR Transit is the public option to ask about.

How is this different from the senior center?

A senior center serves independent adults and closes at 3:00 PM. We supervise members all day, have a licensed nurse on duty, and train every staff member in dementia care.

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. Higher care levels cost more.

Do we need a diagnosis?

No. Our program is designed for memory problems, but a diagnosis is not required.

Can my father come just two days a week?

Yes. Two or three days a week is how we suggest starting.

Come See Us

We are ten minutes away. Stop in on a weekday and see the program running.