Berkeley, California · Alameda County

In-Home Caregivers in Berkeley, CA

Berkeley runs its own senior services, from case managers to subsidized rides, but none of them sends a person to help with daily care. For that, post a free job and pick the caregiver yourself.

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Start here

How to find an in-home caregiver in Berkeley

Begin with a posting under your ZIP code (94702 to 94710) listing what needs doing, which days, and when you want to start. Caregivers whose travel radius covers Berkeley can apply, and profiles from around Berkeley are listed above as caregivers sign up. Many applicants will come from Oakland, Richmond, El Cerrito or San Leandro, often by BART or AC Transit, so mention the nearest station or bus line and whether there is street parking; on a hillside street above the campus, that detail decides whether someone can arrive on time. If the person needing care lives in the flats and has no car, say whether you want the caregiver to drive them.

Spell out language needs as well. Nearly a third of Berkeley residents five and older (30.7%) talk at home in some other tongue, Spanish for 8.9%, and a large share of the city's immigrants were born in Asia (ACS 2020–2024). A parent who is more comfortable in Spanish or in an Asian language may settle in faster with a caregiver who shares that language, and saying so in the posting saves both sides a wasted interview.

Available now

Private in-home caregivers near Berkeley, CA

Independent caregivers with profiles on CaregiverConnect whose home base is within 50 miles. You agree on duties, schedule and pay directly with the person you hire.

Caregiver in San Marcos, CA

about 21 mi from Berkeley · 10+ yrs experience

Personal careMeal prepMedication remindersTransportationSpanishfull-timeHas vehicle

$30/hrSee full profile

Caregiver in San Jose, CA

about 43 mi from Berkeley · 10+ yrs experience

Personal careMeal prepMedication remindersTransportationSpanishlive-inHas vehicle

$25/hrSee full profile

2 of 2 available caregivers within 50 miles of Berkeley, nearest first. Names, photos, bios, references and the Verified badge details are shown once you create a free family account; this public page keeps caregivers anonymous.

Are you a caregiver in Berkeley?

Open postings and a free profile.

Caregiver jobs in Berkeley

What you can post

Types of in-home care families in Berkeley arrange

All non-medical. For nursing tasks (injections, wound care, catheters) you need a licensed home health agency, not a private caregiver.

Senior care at home · Personal care · Companion care · Dementia care · Respite care · Overnight and live-in · Post-surgery recovery · Part-time and flexible

Choosing well

Evaluating caregivers in Berkeley

A few credentials can be checked independently. California's Home Care Aide Registry includes every aide employed by a licensed home care organization, along with independent aides who chose to register and be fingerprinted. Anyone paid as an Alameda County IHSS provider has cleared a Justice Department fingerprint check, and those on the Public Authority Registry have been screened for it. A certified nursing assistant can be looked up by name with CDPH. Beyond paperwork, ask two past clients or employers specific questions (how did she handle a fall, a missed medication, a bad night), let your parent meet the candidate, and start with a paid trial week. CaregiverConnect does not run background checks or vouch for anyone; get written consent if you want to order a report yourself.

Questions families here ask at interview

Where do you live, and do you come by car, BART or bus?
When someone comes home from Alta Bates, what does your first week with them look like?
Would you drive my mother to her appointments, and does your insurance cover that?
Can I see your Home Care Aide Registry number or your Alameda County IHSS enrollment?
How do you handle a client with memory loss who becomes confused in the evening?
My father goes to lunch at the North Berkeley Senior Center on Hearst Avenue. Could you take him and stay?
What hourly rate do you charge, and how do you count overtime?
What languages can you use with my parent?

Schedules and cost

What in-home care costs in Berkeley: hourly rates and schedules

Typical Berkeley requests: two or three mornings a week for bathing and breakfast, weekday afternoons while a family member who works from home takes calls, evening help with dinner and bed, live-out overnights for dementia, and daily visits for several weeks following surgery. Combining paid hours with senior center lunches, the city's subsidized rides and Family Caregiver Support Program respite can keep the weekly bill manageable.

Reference point	Hourly	Source
Employed aides, San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont metro (Alameda County)	$17.28 median	BLS OEWS, May 2025
IHSS provider wage, Alameda County	$22.10	CDSS; effective July 1, 2026
California minimum wage	$16.90	effective January 1, 2026
Agency non-medical home care, California median (CareScout 2025)	$40.00	CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025

Who is the employer. When you hire a caregiver directly, you are a household employer under California's Domestic Worker Bill of Rights. The state minimum wage ($16.90 an hour from 1 January 2026; some cities set more, for example $17.75 in the City of San Diego) is the legal floor, and a personal attendant earns overtime at 1.5× after 9 hours in a day or 45 in a week. The main exceptions are IHSS recipients and an employer's own parent, spouse or child. Source: California DIR, Domestic Worker Bill of Rights FAQ.

Plan around Berkeley's own minimum wage, $19.61 an hour since July 1, 2026, which the city applies to anyone who works at least two hours within city limits; an agency sending an aide into Berkeley has to pay at least that. The city's page does not address households that hire directly, so ask its Labor Standards and Enforcement Program before offering less. In practice experienced caregivers ask for more: Alameda County pays IHSS providers $22.10, the BLS puts the aide median for the metro at $17.28, and licensed agencies statewide charge a $40 median for non-medical hours. State law gives personal attendants overtime beyond 9 hours daily or 45 weekly, and once you pay one worker $3,000 in cash wages during 2026 you generally owe Social Security and Medicare taxes as a household employer.

No agency tracks private rates. A caregiver you hire directly will usually expect more than the employed-aide median and less than an agency rate; every caregiver on this site lists an hourly rate on their profile, and the hiring guide covers taxes and overtime.

Local help

Caregiver resources for families in Berkeley

Berkeley Aging Services, Senior Services AssistantsNorth Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue, (510) 981-5190, or Judge Henry Ramsey Jr. South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis Street, (510) 981-5170. Staff assess needs, advise family members by phone and refer to services. Both centers serve adults 60 and over.
Berkeley Social Services Unit, case management(510) 981-5180. Time-limited case management for older Berkeley residents, including home care referrals and family caregiver support.
Family Caregiver Support ProgramRun from the senior centers: respite care, training, counseling, support groups and some financial help for people caring for an older relative.
Berkeley Rides for Seniors and the DisabledFor residents 70 and over, or 18 to 69 and certified with East Bay Paratransit. Up to 24 Uber or Lyft rides a year at $4 each, and wheelchair users can book up to 32 van rides a year through Easy Does It. Email BRSD@berkeleyca.gov.
Alameda County IHSSCall (510) 577-1800 to find out whether your parent meets the income and disability rules for In-Home Supportive Services. The Public Authority Registry, (510) 577-1980, helps approved recipients find providers.
Alta Bates Campus, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center2450 Ashby Avenue, licensed for 339 beds with a basic emergency department. Talk to the discharge planners before the release date, not on it.

Safety

Hiring safely in Berkeley

Write down the arrangement before the first shift: tasks, hours, pay rate, overtime, who covers sick days and how either side ends the job. Have hours signed off each week, put cash, jewelry and spare prescriptions out of sight, and turn on bank alerts if your parent still handles money. If you suspect abuse or financial exploitation, call Alameda County Adult Protective Services at 866-225-5277; for someone living in a care facility, the long-term care Ombudsman line is 510-638-6878. A sample agreement is in our private caregiver hiring guide.

A woman at home waving during a video call. Stock photograph; not a CaregiverConnect user.

How it works

How to hire a private caregiver in Berkeley (no agency)

CaregiverConnect is a marketplace, not an agency: you hire the caregiver directly, which is why there is no agency mark-up on their hourly rate. That also means screening is your responsibility, and we tell you how.

Describe the care you need
Your posting goes live
Review caregivers and applicants
Message and hire
Agree terms and pay directly

Pricing, plainly

What is free and what costs money

Browsing, posting and receiving applications are free. Messaging and confirming a hire are part of Family Premium ($24.99/month, cancel any time). No commission on what you pay the caregiver; see the pricing page.

Widen your search

Find caregivers near Berkeley

Caregivers set a travel radius, so a caregiver based in a neighbouring town may well cover your home. These pages show who is nearby.

Berkeley is part of Alameda County; the hub pages list every town and area they cover.

Elsewhere in Alameda County: Fremont · Livermore · Pleasanton

Guides

Useful reading

How to become a caregiver in California: requirements, HCA registry, IHSS and CNA explained · How much do caregivers make in California and Arizona? BLS, IHSS and minimum wage (2026) · How to hire a private caregiver: cost, screening, taxes and a written agreement · Imperial County caregiver resources: training, job centres, IHSS, senior services and transport

Sources (checked 2026-10-15):

Questions

Hiring a caregiver in Berkeley: frequently asked questions

Is a family in Berkeley bound by the city wage floor?

The city says its $19.61 rate covers all employees working at least two hours in Berkeley, for profit or nonprofit employers. It does not spell out private households, so confirm with the Labor Standards and Enforcement Program, and expect most caregivers to ask more anyway.

Can the City of Berkeley help me arrange care for my mother?

Its senior centers and Social Services Unit, (510) 981-5180, assess needs and refer you to home care and other services, and the Family Caregiver Support Program can help with respite. They do not place caregivers in the home.

Dad gave up his license. What are his options for rides?

Berkeley residents 70 and older can apply to Berkeley Rides for Seniors and the Disabled for $4 Uber or Lyft rides, up to 24 a year. East Bay Paratransit, (510) 287-5000, serves people who cannot use buses or BART because of a disability.

Will Medi-Cal pay for a caregiver in Berkeley?

Possibly, through IHSS, if your parent is eligible and the county assesses a need. Call Alameda County at (510) 577-1800; the Alameda County IHSS guide walks through it.

Are caregivers on CaregiverConnect background-checked?

No. The platform does not screen anyone. Look up registry and certificate status yourself, call references and, with the candidate's written consent, order a background report.

Post your care need in Berkeley

It is free, takes about ten minutes, and caregivers in Alameda County can see it as soon as it is live.

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A woman on a sofa at home reviewing caregiver profiles on a laptop