Hospice Support in Santa Barbara, CA: Caregivers at Home

Local figures

Hospice Support in Santa Barbara, CA: the local picture

21

Medicare-certified hospices serve Santa Barbara ZIP codes

3,173

residents 85 or older (3.6% of all residents)

31%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (26% in Santa Barbara County)

27%

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

Medicare lists 21 hospices whose service area includes Santa Barbara ZIP codes, the nearest offices being Santa Barbara Hospice And Palliative Care Inc in Santa Barbara (2.5 mi) and Vna Health in Santa Barbara (2.5 mi).

5,328 Santa Barbara residents 65 or older live alone (31% of those in households). Someone on hospice who lives alone usually needs added hours of help between the hospice team’s visits.

Santa Barbara compared with Santa Barbara County and California

Census figure	Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara County	California
Residents 85 or older	3.6%	2.3%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	26%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	27%	30%	33%
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	7.3%	7.2%	9.3%
Residents 65 or older	21%	17%	16%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.8%	9.5%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$83,371	$81,399	—

Older residents in towns around Santa Barbara

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Montecito, CA	4.7 mi	3,021	22%
Eastern Goleta Valley, CA	4.9 mi	6,940	23%
University of California-Santa Barbara, CA	7.6 mi	79	0.0%
Isla Vista, CA	8.4 mi	326	92%
Goleta, CA	8.6 mi	5,293	25%
Carpinteria, CA	12 mi	3,174	30%

Hospices serving Santa Barbara

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Santa Barbara Hospice And Palliative Care Inc	Santa Barbara, CA	2.5 mi	(888) 415-4159
Vna Health	Santa Barbara, CA	2.5 mi	(805) 965-5555
Aceso Hospice, Inc	Ventura, CA	21 mi	(818) 655-0502
Roze Room Hospice Of Ventura	Ventura, CA	29 mi	(805) 654-0191
Assisted Home Hospice	Ventura, CA	29 mi	(805) 677-7400
Carewise Hospice, Inc	Oxnard, CA	33 mi	(805) 823-4144

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 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 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 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 Santa Barbara: common questions

How much does hospice support 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).

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 Santa Barbara

More senior care near Santa Barbara

Hospice Support 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.

In-Home Hospice Support in Santa Barbara, CA