Fort Stockton has always been a crossroads. Before the railroad, it was the Comanche Springs stop on the Old Spanish Trail. Before the interstate, it was a stagecoach halt and a cavalry outpost on the western frontier. Today, it’s where I-10 meets US-285 — the last real town before Big Bend, the first real town coming out of it.
People pass through Fort Stockton. But plenty of families have stayed. And when a parent is aging, or a spouse is recovering, or a veteran needs daily help, staying home takes more than self-reliance — it takes a care team willing to make the drive.
StarCare is one of them. We’ve served West Texas since 1997, and Fort Stockton has been part of our service area for years. Our nurses, therapists, aides, and caregivers travel from Odessa to Fort Stockton on a regular schedule — the same team, the same standards, no matter the miles.
The original Fort Stockton was established in 1858 to protect travelers and settlers on the San Antonio–El Paso road. For a few decades, it was the only real security between San Antonio and El Paso — a small garrison holding the line.
Today’s Fort Stockton is a different kind of outpost. It’s the county seat of Pecos County, home to about 8,500 people, and the medical and commercial hub for a region that stretches hundreds of miles in every direction. Families here have ranched this land for generations, worked the oil fields since the 1920s, and raised children who sometimes stay and sometimes leave — but who keep coming back.
For the ones who stay, and the ones who age here, StarCare brings care to the door. Because in a region this big, “close to home” isn’t just a phrase. It’s a commitment.
Pecos County Memorial Hospital (387 W IH-10) is Fort Stockton’s general acute care hospital and the medical anchor for a service area larger than some states. It provides emergency services, inpatient care, surgical services, and a range of outpatient clinics — including home health coordination with local providers.
We work directly with Pecos County Memorial’s discharge planners and case managers. When a patient is ready to leave, we can be in the home the day they arrive.
For higher-acuity needs — cardiac, oncology, advanced surgical — patients are often referred to Odessa, Midland, or San Angelo. When they return to Fort Stockton, StarCare can resume care at home without a gap.
What that looks like for Fort Stockton families:
Nurses who make the 140-mile drive from Odessa on a regular schedule
Direct coordination with Pecos County Memorial Hospital discharge teams
Supplies and equipment delivered with the visit — no extra trips to Odessa
Bilingual care available for the region’s large Hispanic community
No waiting on insurance authorization that assumes you live near a facility
Wound care, medication management, post-surgical monitoring, IV therapy, and chronic condition oversight by registered nurses. We coordinate with Pecos County Memorial Hospital so care is ready the day your family member returns home.
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy delivered in the actual home. For patients recovering from a fall, a stroke, or joint replacement, therapy at home removes the burden of driving to Odessa or Midland twice a week.
End-of-life care for patients and families who want to spend final months at home. Pain management, symptom control, and family support — coordinated with our hospice team in Odessa.
Bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility, and toileting support by certified aides — with the dignity and consistency families deserve.
One-on-one skilled nursing for complex cases — ventilator, tracheostomy, and high-acuity patients who need a nurse present, not just visiting.
Relief for the spouse who hasn’t slept. Company for the parent who eats alone. A steady presence for a family whose adult children work in the oilfield or live out of town.
Fort Stockton has skilled nursing options in town — including Fort Stockton Nursing Center, which provides long-term care and rehabilitation for local residents. It serves an important role, and for some patients, it’s the right choice.
But for many Fort Stockton families, home remains the better option:
A lifelong resident who wants to stay on her own property
A rancher who wants to see his land every morning
A veteran who prefers his own house to a shared room
A family whose budget stretches further with part-time home care than a private facility room
A spouse who wants to keep sleeping in the same bed
Home isn’t always possible. But in a region where driving to Odessa takes two hours, it’s often what families want most — and with the right care team, it’s achievable.
Fort Stockton is over 70% Hispanic, and many families here speak Spanish at home. Older relatives often feel more comfortable discussing medical matters in Spanish — the language of their parents, their childhood, and their prayers.
Our care team includes bilingual nurses, aides, and coordinators. Not translators — people who grew up in bilingual households and understand that “cuídate bien” carries a different weight than “take care.”
Whether you call in English or Spanish, you’ll reach someone who can help.
StarCare works with VA benefits, including Aid and Attendance, to help Fort Stockton veterans cover the cost of in-home care. The Fort Stockton VA Clinic on East Dickinson Boulevard provides primary and specialty care for local veterans, and we coordinate directly with VA case managers. If you’re a veteran or caring for one, call us.
