McAllen Senior AdvisorWhat is adult day care in McAllen?
Adult day care in Texas is licensed as day activity and health services (DAHS): a weekday program where adults with chronic conditions spend the day under a nurse's supervision with meals, exercise, activities and transportation, then go home.
HHSC's directory of November 5, 2026 lists 130 licensed DAHS centers in Hidalgo County out of 387 in all of Texas, about a third of the state's total, with 13,737 licensed participant places; Harris County, with five times the population, has 49. The most centers are in Mission (23), Edinburg (17), Pharr (16).
Who is adult day care for?
It suits an older adult who should not be alone all day, benefits from routine and company, needs help with medications or meals, or lives with family members who work, and who can still go home each evening.
Many participants have dementia, diabetes, heart disease or are recovering their strength. Centers are not designed for someone who needs one-to-one supervision all day or cannot tolerate a van ride.
How is adult day care paid for in the Valley?
Most participants attend through a STAR+PLUS Medicaid health plan, which authorizes attendance by the day after a physician's order; others pay privately, around the 2025 Texas median of $90 a day, and VA health care can cover adult day health care for eligible veterans.
Medicaid managed care plans authorize DAHS by the day: one unit covers at least three but fewer than six hours, and more than six hours a day is approved only case by case.
What should we ask an adult day center in the Valley?
Ask who the nurse is and whether the nurse is on site all day, how long the van ride will be, what the daily schedule includes, how medications are given, and how the center tells the family about a fall or illness.
Spend a midday at the center before enrolling. Watch the meal, listen for conversation in the language your parent prefers, and ask other families how long their relative has attended.
Where are licensed adult day care providers in Hidalgo County?
HHSC's records show 130 licensed adult day care providers in Hidalgo County, 23 in Mission, 17 in Edinburg, 16 in Pharr, 15 in Weslaco, 12 in Palmview, 10 in McAllen.
| City | Licensed providers | Licensed capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Mission | 23 | 2260 |
| Edinburg | 17 | 1755 |
| Pharr | 16 | 1685 |
| Weslaco | 15 | 1551 |
| Palmview | 12 | 1429 |
| McAllen | 10 | 1305 |
| San Juan | 7 | 666 |
| Donna | 4 | 497 |
| Mercedes | 3 | 336 |
| Elsa | 3 | 464 |
Every one is on the roster.
Side by side
| A DAHS center provides | A DAHS center does not provide | |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Nurse supervision, meals, activities, transport | Overnight care |
| Payment | STAR+PLUS-authorized or private-pay days | Medicare coverage |
| Family | Daytime relief for working caregivers | Help at home in the evening |
Sources: Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 247 and 242; 26 TAC chapters 553, 554, 558 and 559; HHSC directories, TULIP and handbooks; CMS; CareScout; VA rate tables, as cited above. See our editorial standards.
