Personal Care in Atherton, CA: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Atherton, CA: the local picture

11%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (8.3% in San Mateo County)

15%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (18% in San Mateo County)

245

residents 85 or older (3.5% of all residents)

38

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

About 190 Atherton residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (11%; 8.3% in San Mateo County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

269 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (15%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

245 of the 1,793 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Atherton compared with San Mateo County and California

Census figure	Atherton	San Mateo County	California
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	11%	8.3%	9.3%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	15%	18%	22%
Residents 85 or older	3.5%	2.5%	1.9%
Residents 65+ with a disability	25%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	15%	21%	23%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.2%	9.0%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$250,001	$103,766	—

Older residents in towns around Atherton

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
North Fair Oaks, CA	1.3 mi	1,662	14%
West Menlo Park, CA	1.6 mi	476	10%
Stanford, CA	2.8 mi	692	1.3%
Menlo Park, CA	3.3 mi	5,421	9.2%
Emerald Lake Hills, CA	3.6 mi	769	6.3%
East Palo Alto, CA	3.8 mi	3,008	7.8%

Home health agencies with aides serving Atherton

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Grace Community Home Health Inc.	Mountain View, CA	7.7 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(650) 784-0082
Care In Touch Home Health Agency	Fremont, CA	14 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(510) 651-8500
Pathways Home Health And Hospice	Sunnyvale, CA	11 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(408) 730-5900
21ST Century Home Health Services Inc.	Burlingame, CA	12 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(415) 801-2651
Best Home Health Providers, Inc	Hayward, CA	13 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(510) 783-1274
Warm Springs Home Health, Inc	Fremont, CA	16 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(510) 490-6988

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

What it covers

What a personal care aide can help with

Bathing or showering, with a shower chair if needed
Dressing and undressing
Toileting and incontinence care
Grooming: hair, shaving and oral care

Cost

What personal care costs in Atherton

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 Atherton 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 personal care aide

The Census Bureau asks whether a person has difficulty dressing or bathing, which it calls a self-care difficulty; it is the clearest sign that someone needs personal care. Medicare does not pay for personal care when it is the only care needed (Medicare.gov), but many state Medicaid programs do for people who qualify.

Questions worth asking: How do you protect a client’s dignity during bathing and toileting? Are you trained in safe transfers? Can you keep the same morning or evening hours each day? More in our personal care guide.

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

Questions

Personal Care in Atherton: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Atherton?

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 Atherton 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 personal care and companion care?

Companion care is company and help around the house. Personal care is hands-on help with the body: bathing, dressing, toileting and grooming. Many caregivers offer both; say in your posting which you need.

More near Atherton

More senior care near Atherton

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Atherton

More for Atherton 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 Personal Care in Atherton, CA