In-Home Caregivers in Planada, CA
Looking for a caregiver for an aging parent in Planada? Post the tasks, days and hours for free under ZIP 95365, and caregivers living nearest see your request first.
- Free to join, browse and post
- Hire directly, no agency mark-up
- You stay in control of screening
How to find an in-home caregiver in Planada
Planada is a small unincorporated town, a census-designated place east of Merced with 3,506 residents in ACS 2020–2024. A larger share of its people are older than in the county as a whole: 16.3% are 65 or over, and 80 residents are past 85. More than a third of households, 404 of 1,126, include an older person, and 148 seniors live alone. Some need only a few hours of help with meals, housework and errands; others need someone for bathing, dressing and getting safely around the house. Write down which of those your parent needs, and how many hours a week.
Ask for the language your parent speaks best. In ACS, 85.3% of Planada residents five and older speak Spanish at home, and 46.6% speak English less than very well. Ask, too, how the caregiver will travel. Close to one household in eleven has no vehicle, and the P Planada Commuter is the town's bus link to Merced, with weekday stops on Stanford Avenue at Sutter Street and at the library. Profiles of caregivers nearest 95365 are listed first, and the postings above update as families publish them.
Private in-home caregivers near Planada, 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.
No caregivers within 50 miles of Planada 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 Planada?
Open postings and a free profile.
Types of in-home care families in Planada 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
Evaluating caregivers in Planada
Ask every applicant what training or status they have, and confirm it. A nursing assistant certificate can be looked up with CDPH. A Merced County IHSS provider has gone through the county's enrollment and orientation, and the Public Authority keeps a registry of providers who want clients. State licensing files list no home care agency in Planada, so most applicants will be independent caregivers, and most will not be on the Home Care Aide Registry. Call two references and ask how the person handled a difficult moment with a client. Schedule the first paid visit for a time when you or another relative can be there. CaregiverConnect does not verify identity, criminal history or references; if you want a background check, get written consent and arrange it yourself.
Questions families here ask at interview
- ¿Puede trabajar con mi mamá en español? Can you explain her prescriptions to her in Spanish?
- The Planada clinic is closed for renovation. Can you take her to the GVHC mobile clinic at the community center, or to Merced?
- Do you drive, or do you ride the P bus? Which stop would you use?
- Can you bring my father to the weekday lunch on Stanford Street and pick him up afterward?
- Are you an enrolled Merced County IHSS provider, or would you sign up if she is approved?
- How would you help her stand up safely from a bed or chair?
- Who covers for you if you are sick?
What in-home care costs in Planada: hourly rates and schedules
Weekday mornings. Many families need help before adults leave for work; the first weekday bus from Merced reaches Planada at 6:17 a.m., so a caregiver who rides it can start early. Midday lunch. The Living Well Cafe lunch on Stanford Street runs Monday to Friday, and a short shift can be built around it. Merced appointments. With the Planada clinic building closed until about June 2027, some visits mean a trip to Merced, so book a caregiver for the whole half day. Weekends. The P bus runs four trips each way on Saturday and Sunday, fewer than on weekdays, so agree weekend start times with that in mind.
| 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.
No Planada or Merced County wage ordinance appears in UC Berkeley's inventory, so a caregiver you employ yourself must earn at least California's $16.90, and a personal attendant gets overtime after nine hours in a day or 45 in a week. Aides in the Merced metro earn a median of $16.50, county IHSS providers receive $17.50, and CareScout puts the California agency median at $40 an hour. Planada's median household income in ACS is $42,727, and a third of residents over 65 live in poverty, so private hours are out of reach for many families. Start with IHSS: if your parent has Medi-Cal, call Merced County at (209) 385-3105. Approved hours can pay the caregiver your parent chooses, including a relative.
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 Planada
- Living Well Cafe, PlanadaA weekday lunch for people 60 and over at 9167 Stanford Street, served by the Merced County Rescue Mission for the Area Agency on Aging, with games and workshops led by a public health nurse. (209) 626-7595. For home-delivered meals, the Area Agency on Aging is at (209) 385-7550.
- Golden Valley Health Centers, PlanadaThe clinic at 9235 E. Broadway Street is closed for renovations and expected to reopen in June 2027. Until then, the Wellness On Wheels mobile clinic serves patients at the Planada Community Center, 9167 East Stanford Avenue. Call or text (209) 722-4842 for appointments.
- P Planada CommuterLinks Planada with Merced Transpo and Le Grand every day. Riders 62 and older, veterans and ADA-eligible passengers ride free with valid ID; others pay $3 between towns. Pickups at the Felix Torres Housing Center and Kibby Road stops must be requested at (209) 725-3813.
- The Bus paratransitShared door-to-door rides for approved riders in every city and community in Merced County, free for seniors, veterans and ADA-eligible passengers under Measure V. Apply on 1-877-232-7433; bookings (209) 384-3111.
- Merced County IHSS and Adult Protective ServicesIHSS helps people 65 and over, blind or disabled, who have a Medi-Cal eligibility determination and need help to stay safely at home. Referrals and APS reports both go to (209) 385-3105.
Hiring safely in Planada
Put the job in writing: duties, schedule, hourly pay, overtime and the notice each side owes. Each of you keeps a signed copy. Look over hours every week, set up bank alerts, and lock away cash, papers and medicines. If you think an older or dependent adult in Planada is being abused, neglected or exploited, call Merced County APS at (209) 385-3105 or the statewide line, 1-833-401-0832, and call 911 in an emergency. See how to hire a private caregiver for an agreement template and payroll steps, and the Merced County page for respite and caregiver support.
How to hire a private caregiver in Planada (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
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.
Find caregivers near Planada
Caregivers set a travel radius, so a caregiver based in a neighbouring town may well cover your home. These pages show who is nearby.
Planada is part of Merced County; the hub pages list every town and area they cover.
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
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year profiles DP02–DP05, Planada CDP
- Merced County Rescue Mission, Senior Meals (Living Well Cafe)
- Golden Valley Health Centers, Planada location
- The Bus (Merced County Transit), P Planada Commuter route page and schedule (effective October 1, 2023)
- The Bus (Merced County Transit), Paratransit
- Merced County, In-Home Supportive Services Referrals (Wayback capture January 11, 2026)
- Merced County, Adult Protective Services (Wayback capture March 11, 2026)
- CDSS, Adult Protective Services statewide reporting line
- CDSS, IHSS wages by county
- BLS OEWS May 2025, Merced, CA (31-1120)
- UC Berkeley Labor Center, local minimum wage inventory
- California DIR, Domestic Worker Bill of Rights FAQ
- CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, median cost data tables
- CDSS Community Care Licensing, facility files (file date May 25, 2025)
Hiring a caregiver in Planada: frequently asked questions
Where can my mother eat lunch with other seniors in Planada?
At the Living Well Cafe site, 9167 Stanford Street, Monday through Friday. It is open to people 60 and older and run by the Merced County Rescue Mission under an Area Agency on Aging contract.
Where does my father see a doctor while the Planada clinic is closed?
Golden Valley Health Centers runs its mobile clinic at the Planada Community Center on East Stanford Avenue during the renovation, and sees other patients at its Merced locations. Call (209) 722-4842 to find out which site his provider is using.
Does my parent pay to ride the bus from Planada?
Not if they are 62 or older and show valid ID. Seniors, veterans and ADA-eligible riders ride The Bus free, including the P Planada Commuter and paratransit.
Is there a care home in Planada?
No. CDSS licensing files list no residential care home for the elderly or adult residential facility in Planada, so families who want a parent to stay in town usually arrange care at home.
Can IHSS pay me to care for my own parent in Planada?
Yes, if Merced County approves hours for your parent. The recipient chooses the provider, and a son or daughter can be that provider, paid $17.50 an hour by the state.
What does it cost to use CaregiverConnect, and are caregivers screened?
Posting a request costs nothing. Contacting and hiring caregivers requires Family Premium at $24.99 a month. We do not check anyone's background, identity or references, so do those checks yourself.
Post your care need in Planada
It is free, takes about ten minutes, and caregivers in Merced County can see it as soon as it is live.
Create your free family account