Hospice Support in Palo Alto, CA: Caregivers at Home

Local figures

Hospice Support in Palo Alto, CA: the local picture

43

Medicare-certified hospices serve Palo Alto ZIP codes

3,034

residents 85 or older (4.5% of all residents)

27%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (19% in Santa Clara County)

26%

of residents 65+ report a disability (31% in Santa Clara County)

Medicare lists 43 hospices whose service area includes Palo Alto ZIP codes, the nearest offices being Pathways Home Health And Hospice in Sunnyvale (6.9 mi) and Kaiser Foundation Hospital Hospice-Santa Clara in Santa Clara (9.9 mi).

3,462 Palo Alto residents 65 or older live alone (27% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

Palo Alto compared with Santa Clara County and California

Census figure	Palo Alto	Santa Clara County	California
Residents 85 or older	4.5%	2.0%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	19%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	26%	31%	33%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	7.6%	9.0%	9.3%
Residents 65 or older	20%	15%	16%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.7%	9.4%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$135,313	$92,440	—

Older residents in towns around Palo Alto

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Los Altos Hills, CA	2.1 mi	2,590	9.0%
Stanford, CA	2.5 mi	692	19%
Los Altos, CA	3.2 mi	6,377	18%
Mountain View, CA	3.5 mi	10,012	32%
Loyola, CA	4.0 mi	806	13%
West Menlo Park, CA	4.2 mi	476	23%

Hospices serving Palo Alto

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Pathways Home Health And Hospice	Sunnyvale, CA	6.9 mi	(408) 730-5900
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Hospice-Santa Clara	Santa Clara, CA	9.9 mi	(408) 342-6699
Sutter Care At Home	Saratoga, CA	11 mi	(408) 559-5600
Prohealth Home Care, Inc	San Jose, CA	11 mi	(408) 451-9090
Meridian Hospice	Newark, CA	11 mi	(510) 573-3866
Redwood Hospice	San Jose, CA	13 mi	(800) 825-8556

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

What it covers

What a caregiver for hospice support can help with

Comfort, company and a calm presence
Gentle personal care and repositioning
Small meals and fluids as the person wants
Telling the hospice nurse about changes

Cost

What hospice support costs in Palo Alto

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 13% of the $11,276 monthly median income of Palo Alto 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 caregiver for hospice support

Under Medicare, hospice is for someone whose doctors certify a life expectancy of six months or less and who chooses comfort care instead of treatment to cure the illness. Medicare does not cover room and board for hospice care at home (Medicare.gov).

Questions worth asking: Have you cared for someone at the end of life? How do you work with a hospice nurse? Can you sit overnight in the last days if needed? More in our hospice support guide.

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

Questions

Hospice Support in Palo Alto: common questions

How much does hospice support cost in Palo Alto?

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 13% of the $11,276 monthly median income of Palo Alto 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).

Who qualifies for hospice under Medicare?

Someone whose hospice doctor (and regular doctor, if they have one) certifies a life expectancy of six months or less, and who accepts comfort care instead of curative treatment (Medicare.gov).

More near Palo Alto

More senior care near Palo Alto

Hospice Support in nearby cities

Other care in Palo Alto

More for Palo Alto 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.

In-Home Hospice Support in Palo Alto, CA