Home Health Aides in Santa Barbara, CA: Hire In-Home Help

Local figures

Home Health Aides in Santa Barbara, CA: the local picture

63

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Santa Barbara ZIP codes in their service area

$16.50

median hourly wage of home care aides in California (BLS, May 2025); now below the $16.90 minimum

18,046

residents 65 or older (21% of Santa Barbara)

27%

of residents 65+ report a disability (30% in Santa Barbara County)

63 Medicare-certified home health agencies list Santa Barbara ZIP codes in their service area; the highest-rated are below, and 6 of those list home health aide services. Agency aides are usually part of care a doctor orders. For help beyond those visits, families hire an aide directly.

Home health and personal care aides in California earn a median $16.50 an hour (BLS, May 2025), with the middle half between $16.50 and $17.57. That May 2025 figure is below today's $16.90 California minimum wage, so current pay starts at least there.

Santa Barbara has about 18,046 residents aged 65 or older, 27% of whom report a disability.

Santa Barbara compared with Santa Barbara County and California

Census figure	Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara County	California
Residents 65+ with a disability	27%	30%	33%
Residents 65 or older	21%	17%	16%
Residents 85 or older	3.6%	2.3%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	26%	23%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.8%	9.5%	12%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	31%	41%	44%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$83,371	$81,399	—

Older residents in towns around Santa Barbara

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Montecito, CA	4.7 mi	3,021	20%
Eastern Goleta Valley, CA	4.9 mi	6,940	25%
University of California-Santa Barbara, CA	7.6 mi	79	32%
Isla Vista, CA	8.4 mi	326	40%
Goleta, CA	8.6 mi	5,293	26%
Carpinteria, CA	12 mi	3,174	19%

Medicare-certified home health agencies serving Santa Barbara

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Intra Care Home Health Sfv Inc.	Calabasas, CA	63 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(818) 609-8884
Be Healthy Home Health Care, Inc	Mission Hills, CA	72 mi	5 of 5	—	(818) 798-5530
Access Tlc Home Health Care	San Fernando, CA	73 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(818) 551-1900
First Signature Home Health Care, Inc.	Glendale, CA	86 mi	5 of 5	—	(760) 254-8460
Assisted Home Health	Santa Barbara, CA	1.2 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(805) 569-2000
Hand In Heart Home Health Inc	Ventura, CA	29 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(805) 814-8911
Nexus Home Health, Inc	Oxnard, CA	33 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(805) 483-7540
Dignity Health Home Health	Santa Maria, CA	56 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(805) 739-3830

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

What it covers

What a home health aide can help with

Bathing, grooming, dressing and toileting
Transfers, walking and positioning
Meals and help with eating
Medication reminders

Cost

What home health aides costs in Santa Barbara

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 21% of the $6,948 monthly median income of Santa Barbara 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 home health aide

Federal rules require home health aides who work for Medicare-certified agencies to complete at least 75 hours of training, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, or pass a competency evaluation (42 CFR 484.80). Many states add their own requirements.

Questions worth asking: Where did you train, and can I see the certificate? Have you worked for a home health agency? Which transfers and equipment are you trained on? More in our home health aides guide.

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

Questions

Home Health Aides in Santa Barbara: common questions

Which home health agencies serve Santa Barbara?

Medicare lists 63 certified agencies whose service area includes Santa Barbara ZIP codes. The highest-rated on Medicare’s quality stars include Intra Care Home Health Sfv Inc. (5 of 5), Be Healthy Home Health Care, Inc (5 of 5), Access Tlc Home Health Care (5 of 5). Compare them on Medicare Care Compare.

How much does home health aides cost in Santa Barbara?

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 21% of the $6,948 monthly median income of Santa Barbara 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).

What is the difference between a home health aide and a CNA?

Both are trained in personal care. A certified nursing assistant (CNA) has passed a state exam and is on the state nurse aide registry, and often works in nursing homes and hospitals. A home health aide is trained for care in the home. Neither does skilled nursing.

More near Santa Barbara

More senior care near Santa Barbara

Home Health Aides in nearby cities

Other care in Santa Barbara

More for Santa Barbara 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.

Home Health Aides in Santa Barbara, CA