Hospice Support in Portola Valley, CA: Caregivers at Home

Local figures

Hospice Support in Portola Valley, CA: the local picture

17

Medicare-certified hospices serve Portola Valley ZIP codes

508

residents 85 or older (12% of all residents)

17%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (21% in San Mateo County)

21%

of residents 65+ report a disability (28% in San Mateo County)

Medicare lists 17 hospices whose service area includes Portola Valley ZIP codes, the nearest offices being Pathways Home Health And Hospice in Sunnyvale (12 mi) and Mission Hospice & Home Care, Inc. in San Mateo (14 mi).

305 Portola Valley residents 65 or older live alone (17% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

Portola Valley compared with San Mateo County and California

Census figure	Portola Valley	San Mateo County	California
Residents 85 or older	12%	2.5%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	17%	21%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	21%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	0.8%	8.3%	9.3%
Residents 65 or older	44%	18%	16%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	9.0%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$250,001	$103,766	—

Older residents in towns around Portola Valley

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Woodside, CA	4.2 mi	1,211	17%
West Menlo Park, CA	5.0 mi	476	23%
Los Altos Hills, CA	5.2 mi	2,590	9.0%
Palo Alto, CA	5.4 mi	13,369	27%
Stanford, CA	5.6 mi	692	19%
Atherton, CA	6.6 mi	1,793	15%

Hospices serving Portola Valley

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Pathways Home Health And Hospice	Sunnyvale, CA	12 mi	(408) 730-5900
Mission Hospice & Home Care, Inc.	San Mateo, CA	14 mi	(650) 554-1000
Sutter Care At Home	San Mateo, CA	14 mi	(650) 685-2830
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Hospice-Santa Clara	Santa Clara, CA	15 mi	(408) 342-6699
Redwood Hospice	San Jose, CA	17 mi	(800) 825-8556
Accentcare Hospice & Palliative Care Of Northern C	San Jose, CA	18 mi	(408) 377-3018

Straight-line miles from the center of Portola Valley. 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 Portola Valley

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 7% of the $20,833 monthly median income of Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley: common questions

How much does hospice support cost in Portola Valley?

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 7% of the $20,833 monthly median income of Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley

More senior care near Portola Valley

Hospice Support in nearby cities

Other care in Portola Valley

More for Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley, CA