CNA Home Care in Santa Cruz, CA: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Santa Cruz, CA: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

666

certified beds in the 6 nearest nursing homes

$16.50

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

$16.90

California minimum wage per hour

The nearest Medicare-certified nursing homes to Santa Cruz are Santa Cruz Post Acute in Santa Cruz (2.5 mi), Driftwood Healthcare Center - Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz (3.1 mi), Redwood Grove Post Acute in Santa Cruz (3.2 mi). Nursing homes employ many of the area’s CNAs, and CNAs who want home care work often come from them.

Aides in California earn a median $16.50 an hour (BLS, May 2025, home health and personal care aides). That May 2025 figure is below today's $16.90 California minimum wage, so current pay starts at least there. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Santa Cruz has about 927 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Santa Cruz compared with Santa Cruz County and California

Census figure	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz County	California
Residents 85 or older	1.5%	2.1%	1.9%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	28%	33%
Residents 65 or older	15%	19%	16%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	26%	23%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.6%	12%
Households with no vehicle	8.0%	5.2%	7.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$73,566	$85,666	—

Older residents in towns around Santa Cruz

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Twin Lakes, CA	2.6 mi	1,001	40
Live Oak, CA	3.1 mi	3,465	522
Pleasure Point, CA	3.7 mi	1,200	102
Capitola, CA	4.5 mi	2,401	348
Soquel, CA	5.1 mi	2,426	258
Felton, CA	5.1 mi	811	36

Nursing homes near Santa Cruz

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Santa Cruz Post Acute	Santa Cruz, CA	2.5 mi	2 of 5	149	(831) 475-4055
Driftwood Healthcare Center - Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz, CA	3.1 mi	3 of 5	92	(831) 475-6323
Redwood Grove Post Acute	Santa Cruz, CA	3.2 mi	2 of 5	144	(831) 479-9000
Pacific Coast Manor	Capitola, CA	4.2 mi	5 of 5	99	(831) 476-0770
Watsonville Nursing Center	Watsonville, CA	15 mi	4 of 5	87	(831) 724-7505
Watsonville Post Acute Center	Watsonville, CA	15 mi	5 of 5	95	(831) 724-7505

Home health agencies serving Santa Cruz

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Helenium Home Health, Inc.	San Jose, CA	30 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(408) 326-2971
St Joseph Home Health	Milpitas, CA	33 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(408) 244-5488
Atta Home Healthcare	Modesto, CA	77 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(510) 598-6355
Caringhand Home Health Solutions, Inc	Sacramento, CA	109 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(916) 476-3205

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

What it covers

What a nursing assistant can help with

Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting
Safe transfers, repositioning and walking
Help with eating and fluids
Taking and noting vital signs if asked

Cost

What CNAs costs in Santa Cruz

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 24% of the $6,131 monthly median income of Santa Cruz 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 nursing assistant

To be certified, a nurse aide completes a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, and passes a competency exam (42 CFR 483.152). The state then lists them on its nurse aide registry, which you can search online in most states.

Questions worth asking: Which state certified you, and is it current? Where have you worked as a CNA? Are you comfortable with lifts, catheters and incontinence care? More in our nursing assistants guide.

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

Questions

Nursing Assistants in Santa Cruz: common questions

What nursing homes are near Santa Cruz?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Santa Cruz Post Acute in Santa Cruz (2.5 mi, 2 of 5 overall); Driftwood Healthcare Center - Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz (3.1 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Redwood Grove Post Acute in Santa Cruz (3.2 mi, 2 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Santa Cruz?

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 24% of the $6,131 monthly median income of Santa Cruz 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).

Can a CNA give medication?

Generally no. A CNA can remind someone to take medication. Giving medication is usually reserved for licensed nurses, or for aides with a separate state medication certification.

More near Santa Cruz

More senior care near Santa Cruz

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Santa Cruz

More for Santa Cruz 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.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) for Home Care in Santa Cruz, CA