Boulder Creek, California · Santa Cruz County

In-Home Caregivers in Boulder Creek, CA

Post your care needs for free with the 95006 ZIP code. Caregivers whose travel radius reaches Boulder Creek are alerted, and the profiles below are sorted nearest first.

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How to find an in-home caregiver in Boulder Creek

Boulder Creek is an unincorporated census-designated place, and hiring here is mostly direct: the CDSS licensing file of May 2025 shows no home care organization and no residential care home for the elderly at a 95006 address, while two licensed home care organizations on the same file list Scotts Valley addresses. The county IHSS Public Authority also says its registry is short of providers for the San Lorenzo Valley. Start early, and write a posting that answers a commuter's questions: the road the house is on, parking, whether the driveway is steep, and the fewest hours per visit you can offer. A longer visit a few days a week is easier to fill than a short daily one.

Many families here are older themselves. ACS 2020–2024 finds someone 65 or older in 54.6% of Boulder Creek households, and 354 households are a person of that age living alone. If your parent prefers a language other than English, say so first; 11.0% of residents use another language at home. The cards update as caregivers join, and the postings page shows them your request as soon as it is published.

Available now

Private in-home caregivers near Boulder Creek, 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 Jose, CA

about 23 mi from Boulder Creek · 10+ yrs experience

Personal careMeal prepMedication remindersTransportationSpanishlive-inHas vehicle

$25/hrSee full profile

1 of 1 available caregiver within 50 miles of Boulder Creek, 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 Boulder Creek?

Open postings and a free profile.

Caregiver jobs in Boulder Creek

What you can post

Types of in-home care families in Boulder Creek 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 Boulder Creek

Ask each applicant which credentials they hold and check them. An enrolled Santa Cruz County IHSS provider has completed the county orientation and passed a Live Scan check; one referred by the Public Authority registry has also been interviewed and had references checked. Agency aides must appear on the state Home Care Aide Registry, which you can search online; independents may or may not be listed. A CNA holds a CDPH certificate. Interview at the house so the caregiver sees the drive and the layout, call two previous employers yourself, and book a paid trial shift before agreeing to a schedule. CaregiverConnect does not run background checks or verify anyone; if you want a check, arrange it through a consumer reporting agency with the caregiver's written consent.

Questions families here ask at interview

How far is your drive to Boulder Creek, and what is your plan when Highway 9 is closed?
Would you take my father to the Highlands Park Senior Center for the weekday lunch?
Are you enrolled as an IHSS provider in Santa Cruz County, or on the Home Care Aide Registry?
Have you cared for someone living alone in a house on a hillside, with stairs or a steep path?
How would you handle a power outage or an evacuation order during your shift?
Could you help my mother get to appointments in Santa Cruz, and how do you charge for the miles?
What is your shortest visit, and which days can you commit to every week?

Schedules and cost

What in-home care costs in Boulder Creek: hourly rates and schedules

Boulder Creek requests tend to cluster around three or four longer weekday visits covering bathing, a cooked meal and housework; a regular ride to appointments in Scotts Valley or Santa Cruz; respite blocks for a spouse who provides most of the care; and a few weeks of daily help after a hospital stay. Where you can, offer visits of several hours rather than one; a caregiver who drives in is more likely to take them.

Reference point	Hourly	Source
Employed aides, Santa Cruz–Watsonville metro (Santa Cruz County)	$16.50 median	BLS OEWS, May 2025
IHSS provider wage, Santa Cruz County	$20.90	CDSS; effective January 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.

The legal floor in Boulder Creek is the state minimum of $16.90, because an unincorporated area has no local wage law. In practice you are bidding against the $20.90 IHSS rate and a registry the county itself calls short of mountain providers, so expect to offer at least that, plus mileage, for personal care. The BLS median of $16.50 is county-wide and sits at the bottom of the range; CareScout's $40 statewide agency median is the top reference, though no agency is based in town. Overtime applies after nine hours in a day or 45 in a week, which matters for long blocks. If your parent has Medi-Cal, apply for IHSS first: call (831) 454-4101.

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 Boulder Creek

IHSS intake, Santa Cruz CountyApply by calling (831) 454-4101, or send the SOC 295 by email, fax to (831) 763-8906, or mail to IHSS Intake, P.O. Box 1320, Santa Cruz. A health care professional completes the SOC 873, then a social worker visits the home.
Highlands Park Senior Center lunchMeals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County serves lunch for adults 60 and over Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 8500 Highway 9, Ben Lomond; call 831-336-5366. Home-delivered meals: 831-464-3180 ext. 100, with eligibility screening since April 2025.
Lift LineFree door-to-door rides to medical appointments for qualifying county residents 60 and over or with a disability; personal care attendants may ride along. 831-688-9663.
METRO ParaCruzShared rides for ADA-certified riders, only within three-quarters of a mile of an operating bus route, so check the address first. Base fare $4; book one to three days ahead on (831) 425-4664.
Dominican Mobile Wellness ClinicFree care with bilingual staff, weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with stops that include the Boulder Creek Library. Call (831) 713-8751 for the schedule.
Senior Network Services3333 Soquel Drive, Suite A, Soquel, 831-462-1433: information and assistance, HICAP Medicare counseling, care management and the long-term care ombudsman.
Seniors Council (Area Agency on Aging)The Area Agency on Aging for Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, 175 Westridge Drive, Watsonville, 831-688-0400.

Safety

Hiring safely in Boulder Creek

Write down the duties, hours, hourly rate, overtime, mileage and notice period, and both sign a weekly timesheet. Agree an emergency plan for the house, including who to call if the road closes. Lock away medication, cash and checkbooks, and set up bank alerts. Santa Cruz County Adult Protective Services takes reports 24 hours a day at 1 (866) 580-4357 or (831) 454-4101; call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. The hiring guide covers agreements, screening and payroll.

A smiling caregiver with her arm around an older woman in a bright room at home. Stock photograph; not a CaregiverConnect user.

How it works

How to hire a private caregiver in Boulder Creek (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 Boulder Creek

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

Boulder Creek is part of Santa Cruz County; the hub pages list every town and area they cover.

Elsewhere in Santa Cruz County: Watsonville

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 2026-10-16):

Questions

Hiring a caregiver in Boulder Creek: frequently asked questions

Why can a caregiver search in Boulder Creek take longer?

No home care agency or care home is licensed at a Boulder Creek address on the May 2025 state file, and the county IHSS registry says it lacks San Lorenzo Valley providers. Most caregivers will drive in, so longer visits and paid mileage widen your pool.

Can IHSS pay for care in Boulder Creek?

Yes, if your parent qualifies; IHSS is a county program and covers unincorporated areas. Call (831) 454-4101 to apply. Once approved, your parent can hire someone you found here, or ask the Public Authority on (831) 454-4036 for a registry list.

Is there a senior lunch near Boulder Creek?

Meals on Wheels runs a weekday lunch for adults 60 and over at Highlands Park Senior Center, 8500 Highway 9 in Ben Lomond, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 831-336-5366.

How can my mother get to medical appointments without me?

Lift Line gives free door-to-door medical rides to qualifying residents 60 and over, and a caregiver can ride along as a personal care attendant. ParaCruz is an option only if the home is within three-quarters of a mile of a running bus route.

Does CaregiverConnect check caregivers?

No. Profiles are written by the caregivers, and references or background checks are yours to arrange. Posting a request is free; Family Premium at $24.99 a month lets you message caregivers and confirm a hire.

Post your care need in Boulder Creek

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