In-Home Personal Care in Santa Maria, CA

Local figures

Personal Care in Santa Maria, CA: the local picture

14%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (7.2% in Santa Barbara County)

31%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (19% in Santa Barbara County)

1,769

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

40

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

About 1,607 Santa Maria residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (14%; 7.2% in Santa Barbara County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

3,673 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (31%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

1,769 of the 12,155 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Santa Maria compared with Santa Barbara County and California

Census figure	Santa Maria	Santa Barbara County	California
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	14%	7.2%	9.3%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	31%	19%	22%
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	2.3%	1.9%
Residents 65+ with a disability	44%	30%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	23%	26%	23%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	9.5%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$62,269	$81,399	—

Older residents in towns around Santa Maria

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Orcutt, CA	4.6 mi	6,343	6.1%
Nipomo, CA	7.4 mi	2,746	9.3%
Guadalupe, CA	7.7 mi	724	8.1%
Vandenberg AFB, CA	15 mi	8	0.0%
Oceano, CA	15 mi	1,956	10%
Vandenberg Village, CA	15 mi	1,445	8.7%

Home health agencies with aides serving Santa Maria

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Intra Care Home Health Sfv Inc.	Calabasas, CA	115 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(818) 609-8884
V & V Home Health Inc	Glendale, CA	136 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(818) 918-1592
Dignity Health Home Health	Santa Maria, CA	1.6 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(805) 739-3830
Superior Home Health	Lompoc, CA	19 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(805) 430-8767
Vna Health	Santa Barbara, CA	56 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(805) 965-5555

Straight-line miles from the center of Santa Maria. 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 Santa Maria

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 28% of the $5,189 monthly median income of Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Santa Maria?

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 28% of the $5,189 monthly median income of Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria

More senior care near Santa Maria

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Santa Maria

More for Santa Maria 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.