Adult Disability Care in Santa Cruz, CA: In-Home Support

Local figures

Disability Care for Adults in Santa Cruz, CA: the local picture

8.6%

of residents aged 18 to 64 have a disability (8.4% in Santa Cruz County)

1,156

residents aged 18 to 64 have difficulty doing errands alone

8.0%

of households have no vehicle (5.2% in Santa Cruz County)

35

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Santa Cruz ZIP codes in their service area

About 3,882 Santa Cruz residents aged 18 to 64 report a disability (8.6%; 8.4% in Santa Cruz County).

1,156 of them have difficulty doing errands such as shopping or visiting a doctor alone, the kind of help a support caregiver gives.

8.0% of Santa Cruz households have no vehicle (5.2% in Santa Cruz County); say in your posting if you need a caregiver who drives.

Santa Cruz compared with Santa Cruz County and California

Census figure	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz County	California
Residents 18 to 64 with a disability	8.6%	8.4%	8.8%
Residents 18 to 64 with difficulty doing errands alone	2.6%	3.1%	3.3%
Households with no vehicle	8.0%	5.2%	7.1%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	28%	34%	44%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.6%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$73,566	$85,666	—

Older residents in towns around Santa Cruz

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Disability (18 to 64)
Twin Lakes, CA	2.6 mi	1,001	7.5%
Live Oak, CA	3.1 mi	3,465	8.9%
Pleasure Point, CA	3.7 mi	1,200	11%
Capitola, CA	4.5 mi	2,401	14%
Soquel, CA	5.1 mi	2,426	13%
Felton, CA	5.1 mi	811	5.5%

Home health agencies serving Santa Cruz

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Helenium Home Health, Inc.	San Jose, CA	30 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(408) 326-2971
St Joseph Home Health	Milpitas, CA	33 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(408) 244-5488
Silverline Staff Home Health	Fremont, CA	39 mi	5 of 5	—	(925) 476-5350
Atta Home Healthcare	Modesto, CA	77 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(510) 598-6355
Caringhand Home Health Solutions, Inc	Sacramento, CA	109 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(916) 476-3205

Straight-line miles from the center of Santa Cruz. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a disability support caregiver can help with

Personal care, on the person’s terms
Cooking, shopping and housekeeping
Getting to work, school, appointments and activities
Keeping routines the person sets

Cost

What disability care for adults costs in Santa Cruz

At the California minimum wage of $16.90 an hour (the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is now below it), 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,465 a month in wages, which is 24% of the $6,131 monthly median income of Santa Cruz households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a disability support caregiver

Many state Medicaid programs let adults with disabilities direct their own care: they, or a representative, hire and supervise the caregiver.

Questions worth asking: Have you supported adults with a disability like mine (or my family member’s)? How do you support someone to do things themselves? Can you drive to work, school or day programs? More in our disability care for adults guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Disability Care for Adults in Santa Cruz: common questions

How much does disability care for adults cost in Santa Cruz?

At the California minimum wage of $16.90 an hour (the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is now below it), 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,465 a month in wages, which is 24% of the $6,131 monthly median income of Santa Cruz households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Can an adult with a disability hire their own caregiver?

Yes. Many state Medicaid programs offer self-direction, where the person or a representative hires and supervises the caregiver. Our guide How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave covers California.

More near Santa Cruz

More senior care near Santa Cruz

Disability Care for Adults in nearby cities

Other care in Santa Cruz

More for Santa Cruz families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

In-Home Support for Adults With Disabilities in Santa Cruz, CA