Dementia Care in Atherton, CA: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Atherton, CA: the local picture

245

residents 85 or older (3.5% of all residents)

1,793

residents 65 or older (26% of Atherton)

25%

of residents 65+ report a disability (28% in San Mateo County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Atherton has about 245 residents aged 85 or older among 1,793 aged 65 or older. The risk of Alzheimer’s rises steeply with age, and the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that about a third of people 85 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia.

25% of residents 65 and older report a disability (28% in San Mateo County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

15% of older Atherton residents in households live alone. For someone with memory loss who lives alone, a few hours of daily check-ins are often the first step.

Atherton compared with San Mateo County and California

Census figure	Atherton	San Mateo County	California
Residents 85 or older	3.5%	2.5%	1.9%
Residents 65 or older	26%	18%	16%
Residents 65+ with a disability	25%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	15%	21%	23%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.2%	9.0%	12%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	29%	46%	44%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$250,001	$103,766	—

Older residents in towns around Atherton

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
North Fair Oaks, CA	1.3 mi	1,662	129
West Menlo Park, CA	1.6 mi	476	103
Stanford, CA	2.8 mi	692	105
Menlo Park, CA	3.3 mi	5,421	672
Emerald Lake Hills, CA	3.6 mi	769	62
East Palo Alto, CA	3.8 mi	3,008	117

Nursing homes near Atherton

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Atherton Park Post-Acute	Menlo Park, CA	0.7 mi	4 of 5	160	(650) 325-8600
Vi At Palo Alto	Palo Alto, CA	1.7 mi	5 of 5	44	(650) 853-5001
Webster House	Palo Alto, CA	2.3 mi	5 of 5	145	(650) 328-3300
Palo Alto Post-Acute	Palo Alto, CA	2.5 mi	4 of 5	66	(650) 327-0511
Devonshire Oaks Nursing Center	Redwood City, CA	2.7 mi	5 of 5	38	(650) 366-9503
The Sequoias	Portola Valley, CA	5.7 mi	5 of 5	43	(650) 851-1501

Hospices serving Atherton

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Sutter Care At Home	San Mateo, CA	9.5 mi	(650) 685-2830
Mission Hospice & Home Care, Inc.	San Mateo, CA	9.5 mi	(650) 554-1000
Pathways Home Health And Hospice	Sunnyvale, CA	11 mi	(408) 730-5900
Best Hospice Provider, Inc.	Hayward, CA	13 mi	(510) 783-4468

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

What it covers

What a dementia caregiver can help with

Keeping a predictable daily routine
Gentle help with bathing, dressing and toileting
Meals, hydration and medication reminders
Calming approaches for sundowning, agitation and repeated questions

Cost

What dementia care costs in Atherton

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 7% of the $20,833 monthly median income of Atherton 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 dementia caregiver

An estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Facts and Figures. Most live at home, cared for by family. The Association’s 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is free.

Questions worth asking: Tell me about someone with dementia you cared for. What worked? What do you do when a client becomes agitated in the late afternoon? How do you keep someone safe who tries to leave the house? More in our dementia care guide.

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

Questions

Dementia Care in Atherton: common questions

What nursing homes are near Atherton?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Atherton Park Post-Acute in Menlo Park (0.7 mi, 4 of 5 overall); Vi At Palo Alto in Palo Alto (1.7 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Webster House in Palo Alto (2.3 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Atherton?

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 7% of the $20,833 monthly median income of Atherton 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).

When does someone with dementia need care at home?

Common signs are missed meals or medication, getting lost in familiar places, unsafe cooking or driving, and a family caregiver who is exhausted. Many families start with a few hours a day and add hours, nights or live-in help as the disease progresses.

More near Atherton

More senior care near Atherton

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Atherton

More for Atherton 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 Dementia and Alzheimer's Care in Atherton, CA