Companion Care in Placerville, CA: Senior Companions at Home

Local figures

Companion Care in Placerville, CA: the local picture

2,604

residents 65 or older (24% of Placerville)

40%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (22% in El Dorado County)

11%

of residents 5+ speak a language other than English at home

4.9%

of households have no vehicle (3.6% in El Dorado County)

About 963 residents of Placerville aged 65 or older live alone, 40% of older residents in households (22% in El Dorado County). They are the people companion care is usually for: mostly independent, but on their own for long stretches of the day.

4.9% of Placerville households have no vehicle (3.6% in El Dorado County). A companion who drives can turn a week at home into appointments, shopping and visits.

Of the 2,604 Placerville residents aged 65 or older, 435 are 85 or older (17%). Before the first visit with someone in that oldest group, ask the family about hearing, eyesight, walking and any memory changes, so the visit is planned around them.

1,182 Placerville households headed by someone 65 or older own their home and 568 rent. A companion visiting a house may also help with mail, light chores and keeping an eye on things; in an apartment building, ask whether visitors sign in.

About 164 older Placerville residents (6.7%) live below the poverty line (6.6% in El Dorado County). For them, Medicaid home and community-based services or the local Area Agency on Aging may cover some companion or homemaker hours, depending on the state program; private pay is not the only route.

About 11% of Placerville residents aged 5 and over speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Spanish (994), Tagalog (67), Russian, Polish or other Slavic languages (52). If the person you care for is more at ease in one of these languages, say so in your posting; many caregivers list the languages they speak.

Placerville compared with El Dorado County and California

Census figure	Placerville	El Dorado County	California
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	22%	23%
Residents 65 or older	24%	23%	16%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	12%	44%
Households with no vehicle	4.9%	3.6%	7.1%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.7%	6.6%	12%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	29%	33%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$59,363	$78,067	—

Older residents in towns around Placerville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Diamond Springs, CA	3.5 mi	3,108	33%
Shingle Springs, CA	8.7 mi	1,057	9.6%
Cameron Park, CA	11 mi	4,273	25%
Pollock Pines, CA	11 mi	1,394	17%
El Dorado Hills, CA	14 mi	10,635	16%
Auburn Lake Trails, CA	15 mi	862	20%

Hospitals near Placerville (for rides to appointments)

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Marshall Medical Center	Placerville, CA	0.9 mi	4 of 5	(530) 622-1441
Mercy Hospital Of Folsom	Folsom, CA	20 mi	4 of 5	(916) 983-7400
Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital	Auburn, CA	20 mi	5 of 5	(530) 888-4500

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

What it covers

What a companion caregiver can help with

Conversation, cards, puzzles and shared hobbies
Walks and outings to the park, library or senior center
Company at meals, and help preparing them
Rides or escort to appointments, church and visits

Cost

What companion care costs in Placerville

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 30% of the $4,947 monthly median income of Placerville 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 companion caregiver

Isolation is a health risk, not only a mood. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that nearly one in four Americans aged 65 and older living in the community is socially isolated, and linked isolation to higher risks of dementia, heart disease and early death (2020 report).

Questions worth asking: What do you enjoy doing with the people you care for? Are you comfortable driving, and is your car insured for passengers? How do you handle a client who does not want company at first? More in our companion care guide.

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

Questions

Companion Care in Placerville: common questions

How many seniors live alone in Placerville?

About 963 residents aged 65 or older, 40% of older residents in households (Census ACS 2020–2024) (22% in El Dorado County).

How much does companion care cost in Placerville?

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 30% of the $4,947 monthly median income of Placerville 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).

What does a companion caregiver do in Placerville?

A companion keeps an older adult company and helps around the visit: conversation, activities, walks, meals, errands, rides and reminders. It suits someone who is mostly independent but lonely, or a family that wants someone to check in on weekdays.

More near Placerville

More senior care near Placerville

Companion Care in nearby cities

Other care in Placerville

More for Placerville 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.

Companion Care for Seniors in Placerville, CA