Find Caregivers in Merced County, CA
Private caregivers for older adults anywhere in Merced County, hired directly by you with no agency mark-up. The platform is new to the county; posting is free and caregivers who sign up later see it at once.
- Free to join, browse and post
- Hire directly, no agency mark-up
- You stay in control of screening
How to find a caregiver in Merced County
Families in Merced County usually combine three things: In-Home Supportive Services for the hours the county authorises (paid at $17.50 an hour to a provider the recipient chooses, often a relative), the Area Agency on Aging's meals and respite, and a private caregiver for everything those two do not cover. That last piece is what this site is for. You post the days, hours and tasks with your ZIP code; caregivers whose radius covers you see it immediately and apply.
Be realistic about geography. The eastern corridor (Livingston, Winton, Atwater, Merced, Planada) shares one pool of caregivers along Highway 99; the west side (Los Banos, Dos Palos, Gustine, Santa Nella) is an hour away on Highway 152 and draws its own. A family in Hilmar or Le Grand should expect a caregiver with a car. Language matters: 44% of county residents speak Spanish at home and in Livingston a fifth speak Punjabi or another Indo-European language, so say which language your parent prefers. No caregivers have registered from Merced County yet; the town pages show availability as it builds.
Caregivers in Merced County
Independent caregivers with profiles on CaregiverConnect whose home base is within 60 miles. You agree on duties, schedule and pay directly with the person you hire.
No caregivers within 60 miles of Merced County have joined yet
We do not pad this page with distant profiles. Posting is free, and caregivers who join in Merced County see it immediately.
Counts come from live caregiver profiles on CaregiverConnect. Sample and test profiles are never shown here.
Are you a caregiver in Merced County?
Open postings and a free profile.
Find caregivers by city and town
Each page below has its own local research and shows live caregiver profiles near that place. Towns without a page yet are covered by this hub.
- Find caregivers in Mercedpop. 99,435
- Find caregivers in Atwaterpop. 31,806
- Find caregivers in Los Banospop. 49,255
- Find caregivers in Livingstonpop. 14,402
Where Merced County families are hiring
Four towns have their own family pages, linked above. The smaller communities are covered here and by the nearest town page.
- Merced (city)County seat; Mercy Medical Center and the county's aging services are here.
- Atwater (city)31,806 residents, 12.4% aged 65 or over; caregivers serve it and Merced together.
- Los Banos (city)West-side city of 49,255 with its own hospital; hires locally, Merced being an hour away.
- Livingston (city)14,402 residents, 71% Hispanic, with a large Punjabi community; ask for the language your parent prefers.
- Winton (census-designated place)Unincorporated, about 11,800 people between Atwater and Livingston; lunch site on Walnut Avenue.
- Delhi (census-designated place)Unincorporated, about 11,000 people on the Stanislaus line; Turlock is as close as Merced.
- Hilmar-Irwin (census-designated place)Unincorporated dairy community of about 6,100; 17.8% aged 65 or over; no bus, so ask for a driver.
- Planada (census-designated place)Unincorporated, about 3,500 people east of Merced; 16.3% aged 65 or over; lunch site on Stanford Street.
- Le Grand (census-designated place)Unincorporated farm town of about 1,600; no transit.
- Dos Palos (city)About 5,800 people and the county's oldest age profile (21.8% aged 65+); lunch site on Leonard Avenue; Micro Bus.
- Gustine (city)About 6,100 people on the far west side, 17.3% aged 65 or over; Micro Bus and Gustine Link.
- Santa Nella (census-designated place)Unincorporated, about 2,100 people at I-5 and Highway 152; Los Banos caregivers cover it.
Types of in-home care families in Merced County 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: meals, reminders, housekeeping, errands, company.
- Personal care: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, transfers.
- Companion care: conversation, walks, appointments, errands.
- Dementia care: routine-based support; ask for experience.
- Respite care: shifts so a family caregiver can rest or work.
- Overnight and live-in: night supervision or room-and-board arrangements.
- Post-surgery recovery: non-medical help after a hospital stay.
- Part-time and flexible: a few hours on set days is the usual start.
Evaluating caregivers in Merced County
Three credentials can be checked here. IHSS enrolment through the Merced County Public Authority means a Department of Justice fingerprint check and an orientation; the state Home Care Aide Registry (voluntary for independents) means a CDSS background clearance; a CNA certificate from Merced College can be verified with CDPH. Beyond paperwork, phone two references, interview with your parent in the room, run a consumer-reporting background check with written consent and pay for a trial shift before committing. CaregiverConnect does not run checks itself; a Verified badge reflects documents a caregiver uploaded.
Questions families here ask at interview
- Which side of the county are you based on, and will you drive Highway 152 or Highway 99 to reach us?
- Do you speak Spanish or Punjabi well enough to talk with my mother, not only with me?
- Are you enrolled with Merced County IHSS, on the Home Care Aide Registry, or a CNA?
- Have you cared for someone after a discharge from Mercy Medical Center or Memorial Hospital Los Banos?
- What experience do you have with dementia, transfers or diabetes care?
- Which days and hours can you commit to through the harvest season and beyond?
- How would you handle a day my father refuses his medication or a shower?
- What is your hourly rate, and what do you charge for driving, nights or short notice?
Typical schedules and what care costs in Merced County
Town by town. Merced families post the widest range, including evening and weekend blocks suited to students. Atwater and Winton requests are mostly weekday daytime care with transport to appointments in Merced. Los Banos households, where many adults commute out of the county, post early-morning, after-work and overnight cover. Livingston and Delhi families often want a caregiver who speaks Spanish or Punjabi. Dos Palos and Gustine, with the county's oldest age profiles, post companionship and personal care for parents living alone. The typical posting is three to five weekday blocks of three to six hours; live-in requests are uncommon.
| Reference point | Hourly | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employed aides, Merced metro (Merced County) | $16.50 median | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| IHSS provider wage, Merced County | $17.50 | 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.
Expect a private caregiver in Merced County to ask for something between the $17.50 IHSS rate and the $40 statewide agency median, with the $16.50 employed median as the floor; dementia care, personal care, nights and driving push the figure up. If you hire directly you are a household employer: payroll tax above the federal threshold, and overtime after nine hours a day or 45 a week for a personal attendant.
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.
Caregiver resources for families in Merced County
- Merced County Area Agency on Aging851 W. 23rd Street, Merced, (209) 385-7550. Family Caregiver Support Program, Meals on Wheels and respite referrals.
- Merced County IHSS and Public Authority2115 W. Wardrobe Avenue, Merced, (209) 383-9504 for the provider registry. IHSS applications go through the Human Services Agency; Adult Protective Services (209) 385-3105.
- Senior lunch sites (Living Well Cafe)Weekday lunches for residents 60 and over, run by the Merced County Rescue Mission for the Area Agency on Aging: Merced 851 W. 23rd Street; Atwater 2550 Linden Avenue; Los Banos 1248 Santa Barbara Drive; Livingston 420 Main Street; Winton 7091 Walnut Avenue; Planada 9167 Stanford Street; Dos Palos 1701 Leonard Avenue. (209) 626-7595.
- Valley Caregiver Resource Center(800) 541-8614, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free support groups, classes and respite for family caregivers in Merced and Madera counties.
- The Bus paratransit and Micro BusDoor-to-door paratransit in every city and community of the county, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends; apply on 1-877-232-7433, book on (209) 384-3111. Seniors ride free. The Micro Bus app covers Los Banos, Dos Palos, Gustine and Santa Nella.
- HospitalsMercy Medical Center Merced, 333 Mercy Avenue (186 licensed beds); Memorial Hospital Los Banos, 520 West I Street, (209) 826-0591 (38 beds, 24-hour emergency). Ask the discharge planner about home-health referrals before hiring private help.
Hiring safely in Merced County
Put the arrangement in writing before the first shift: duties, hours, rate, overtime, mileage, notice period and emergency contacts. Keep a weekly timesheet, lock away valuables and documents, set up bank alerts, and keep the Area Agency on Aging's respite in reserve so the plan does not rest on one person. Report suspected abuse or neglect to Merced County Adult Protective Services on (209) 385-3105 or the state line 1-833-401-0832. The hiring guide walks through screening, the agreement and household-employer taxes.
How to find and hire a caregiver in Merced County
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
Who, which tasks, which days and time blocks, budget, start date. About ten minutes, free.
Your posting goes live
Caregivers in range see it immediately. Edit or close it any time from your dashboard.
Review caregivers and applicants
Experience, care types, languages, rates, availability. Applicants appear under your posting.
Message and hire
Messaging and confirming a hire are part of Family Premium ($24.99/month, cancel anytime). Browsing, posting and applications are free.
Agree terms and pay directly
Rate, schedule and payment are between you and the caregiver. No percentage is taken.
What is free and what costs money
Free family account
- Browse profiles, post and edit care needs, receive applications
Family Premium
- Messaging, direct job requests, confirming a hire; cancel any time
No commission on what you pay the caregiver; payments are between you. Details on the pricing page.
Find caregivers near Merced County
Caregivers set a travel radius, so a caregiver based in a neighbouring town may well cover your home. These pages show who is nearby.
- Find caregivers in Atwater, CA6 mi
- Livingston, CA8 mi
- Find caregivers in Merced, CA10 mi
- Find caregivers in Los Banos, CA18 mi
- Chowchilla, CA25 mi
- Find caregivers in Tulare County106 mi
Useful reading before you apply
California caregiver requirements: HCA registry, IHSS and CNA explained
Which rules apply to a caregiver in California depends on who pays them. A plain-language map of the Home Care Aide Registry, IHSS provider enrolment and CNA/HHA certification, with the official sources.
What caregivers earn in California and Arizona: BLS, IHSS and minimum wage (2026)
Median hourly pay for home health and personal care aides by metro area from the May 2025 BLS survey, county IHSS wages, state minimum wages, and how private rates relate to them.
How to hire a private caregiver: cost, screening, taxes and a written agreement
What a private in-home caregiver costs compared with an agency, how to screen and check references, the household-employer tax and overtime rules in California and Arizona, and what to put in writing.
Imperial County caregiver resources: training, job centres, IHSS, senior services and transport
A verified directory of the agencies and programmes caregivers and families in El Centro, Calexico, Brawley, Imperial, Holtville, Westmorland and Calipatria actually use, with addresses and phone numbers checked on 12 October 2026.
- BLS OEWS May 2025, Merced, CA (31-1120)
- CDSS, IHSS wages by county
- CareScout (Genworth) Cost of Care Survey 2025, California
- California DIR, Domestic Worker Bill of Rights FAQ
- California Department of Finance, E-1 2026 population estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 data profiles, Merced County and its places
- Merced County Human Services Agency: Area Agency on Aging, IHSS Public Authority, APS
- Merced County Rescue Mission, Senior Nutrition Program
- Valley Caregiver Resource Center
- The Bus, paratransit and Micro Bus
- HCAI facility profiles: Mercy Medical Center Merced; Memorial Hospital Los Banos
- Memorial Hospital Los Banos (Sutter Health)
- CDSS, Home Care Aide Registry search
Hiring a caregiver in Merced County: frequently asked questions
How do I find a caregiver in Merced County?
Post your need free from this page or the page for your town; caregivers see it at once, and the cards above show who is available within 50 miles as profiles arrive.
Can my mother's IHSS hours and a private caregiver work together?
Yes. IHSS pays a provider for the hours the county authorises; a private caregiver covers the rest under a separate arrangement with you. Many families use the same person for both.
What will a private caregiver cost in Merced County?
Caregivers set their own rate. The reference points are $17.50 (IHSS), $16.50 (employed median) and $40 (statewide agency median), with dementia care and driving at the higher end.
Is there respite so I can take a break?
Ask the Area Agency on Aging on (209) 385-7550 about the Family Caregiver Support Program and the respite through the Valley Caregiver Resource Center; use a private caregiver for planned breaks beyond that.
Does CaregiverConnect check caregivers?
No. We publish what caregivers upload and mark documents reviewed with a Verified badge; identity, references and background checks remain your responsibility.
We live in Chowchilla. Does this page apply to us?
Partly. Chowchilla is in Madera County, so IHSS is handled by Madera County Social Services and the Madera IHSS wage ($17.90 from July 2026) applies rather than Merced's $17.50. Caregivers based in Merced and Atwater often cover Chowchilla because it is about 17 miles down State Route 99; the Chowchilla page has the Madera County contacts.
What does the site charge families?
Browsing, posting and receiving applications cost nothing. Messaging and confirming a hire are part of Family Premium at $24.99 a month, cancellable any time, and nothing is taken from the caregiver's pay.
¿Puedo escribir mi anuncio en español?
Sí. Publique en el idioma que prefiera; muchos cuidadores del condado de Merced hablan español y lo indican en su perfil.
Post your care need in Merced County
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