The 10 Best Home Care Agencies for Seniors in Palo Alto, CA for 2024

Palo Alto is a vibrant city full of world-class museums and art galleries. Out of its 66,010 residents, seniors comprise about 18.5%. Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto offers an array of outdoor activities, including hiking and biking, and low violent crime rates, helping seniors stay safe while out exploring. It's also home to Stanford Hospital, a leading general hospital offering primary and specialty care services. For home care, which offers nonmedical assistance with personal care tasks, seniors pay about $6,864 per month, which is higher than California's statewide average of $6,101. Older adults requiring skilled nursing care, such as rehabilitative therapies and medical equipment maintenance, may find home health care more beneficial. 

Below we've compiled a comprehensive directory of every home care provider in the Palo Alto area – complete with services offered and reviews from families who've actually used the service. In addition to our in-depth provider listings, we've compiled resources to help seniors and their families to access all the tools they need to age in place safely and gracefully.

According to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, seniors in Palo Alto pay about $6,864 for home care, which is higher than California's statewide average of $6,101 and the national median of $4,957. However, it's a cheaper option than nearby San Jose, where home care costs 3.5% more. Prices drop in Sacramento, which offers care for about 9.1% less than Palo Alto. Los Angeles and Fresno are also more affordable home care options at $5,911 and $5,529, respectively. 

In Palo Alto, seniors can access nonmedical services with home care at $6,864 per month or skilled nursing services through home health care for a 4.2% price increase. For a more economical senior care option, adult day health care offers services for $1,950 per month. Seniors who are mostly independent but can't live alone safely can access assisted living, a residential care option providing daily living support, for about 8.7% less than home care. Meanwhile, nursing homes offer 24-hour skilled medical services for a higher rate of $11,566. 

Given the high cost of in-home care, many people use one or more forms of financial assistance to cover the expenses. Below, we explain some of the most common sources of financial help to pay for in-home care. If none of these options are available to you, you can reach out to your Area Agency on Aging or Aging and Disability Resource Center to learn about local resources.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: Long-Term Care Insurance covers expenses related to senior care, including in-home care. Depending on the policy type, beneficiaries may receive a cash payment to use towards long-term care or reimbursement for qualifying long-term care expenses. Note that there are limitations, typically a maximum benefit of $150 per day, and exact coverage terms vary depending on the exact policy, so always check the details.
• Medicare: Medicare does not cover in-home care because it is classified as custodial or nonmedical care. However, some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans, which offer expanded benefits, may cover in-home custodial care.
• Medicaid: Medicaid coverage of in-home care varies between different states because it is not a federally mandated benefit. Currently, all states cover some in-home care services either through their standard Medicaid or a waiver program. The specific coverage rules are set individually by each state.
• Veterans' Benefits: The Aid and Attendance benefit is a monthly cash payment that beneficiaries can use to pay for senior care, including in-home care services. To qualify for A&A, Veterans must already receive the VA pension and meet several additional requirements, including needing assistance with activities of daily living. Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs to learn more.
• Reverse Mortgages: Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) are federally insured loans that are available to homeowners age 62 and over. Reverse mortgages allow you to access a tax-free portion of your home's equity in cash. Many seniors use reverse mortgages to finance their care expenses, including in-home care. Note that although there are no monthly payments due on reverse mortgage loans, borrowers have to repay the loan once the last surviving homeowner passes away, moves, or sells the home.