Respite Care in Palo Alto, CA: Breaks for Family Caregivers

Local figures

Respite Care in Palo Alto, CA: the local picture

13,369

residents 65 or older (20% of Palo Alto)

73%

of residents 65+ in households live with someone, often a family caregiver

26%

of residents 65+ report a disability (31% in Santa Clara County)

43

Medicare-certified hospices serve Palo Alto ZIP codes

Most older adults in Palo Alto live with someone: 73% of residents 65 and older in households do. When one of them needs care, the person they live with usually provides most of it, and respite is what keeps that sustainable.

About 3,379 Palo Alto residents aged 65 or older report a disability (26%) (31% in Santa Clara County). Many of them rely on a spouse or adult child day to day.

Medicare lists 43 hospices serving Palo Alto ZIP codes. For someone on hospice, Medicare also covers short inpatient respite stays so the family caregiver can rest.

Palo Alto compared with Santa Clara County and California

Census figure	Palo Alto	Santa Clara County	California
Residents 65+ with a disability	26%	31%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	19%	23%
Residents 65 or older	20%	15%	16%
Residents 85 or older	4.5%	2.0%	1.9%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.7%	9.4%	12%
Households with no vehicle	8.5%	6.0%	7.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$135,313	$92,440	—

Older residents in towns around Palo Alto

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Los Altos Hills, CA	2.1 mi	2,590	23%
Stanford, CA	2.5 mi	692	14%
Los Altos, CA	3.2 mi	6,377	22%
Mountain View, CA	3.5 mi	10,012	29%
Loyola, CA	4.0 mi	806	19%
West Menlo Park, CA	4.2 mi	476	41%

Hospices serving Palo Alto

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Pathways Home Health And Hospice	Sunnyvale, CA	6.9 mi	(408) 730-5900
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Hospice-Santa Clara	Santa Clara, CA	9.9 mi	(408) 342-6699
Sutter Care At Home	Saratoga, CA	11 mi	(408) 559-5600
Prohealth Home Care, Inc	San Jose, CA	11 mi	(408) 451-9090
Meridian Hospice	Newark, CA	11 mi	(510) 573-3866

Nursing homes near Palo Alto (ask about short stays)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
The Terraces At Los Altos Health Facility	Los Altos, CA	1.3 mi	4 of 5	30	(650) 948-8291
Palo Alto Post-Acute	Palo Alto, CA	3.3 mi	4 of 5	66	(650) 327-0511
Villa Siena	Mountain View, CA	3.3 mi	1 of 5	30	(650) 961-6484
Vi At Palo Alto	Palo Alto, CA	3.6 mi	5 of 5	44	(650) 853-5001

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

What it covers

What a respite caregiver can help with

Taking over the usual routine while you are away
Meals, medication reminders and personal care
Company and activities
Overnight cover for a weekend or a trip

Cost

What respite care costs in Palo Alto

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 13% of the $11,276 monthly median income of Palo Alto 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 respite caregiver

Family caregivers carry most long-term care in the U.S., and burnout is a common reason a home arrangement breaks down. The federal National Family Caregiver Support Program funds respite through local Area Agencies on Aging, and the ARCH National Respite Locator lists respite programs by state.

Questions worth asking: Can you do a short paid visit first, while I am home? Are you available at short notice if I am ill? Can you stay overnight, and what do you charge for it? More in our respite care guide.

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

Questions

Respite Care in Palo Alto: common questions

Which hospices serve Palo Alto?

Medicare lists 43 hospices for Palo Alto ZIP codes, including Pathways Home Health And Hospice, Kaiser Foundation Hospital Hospice-Santa Clara, Sutter Care At Home.

How much does respite care cost in Palo Alto?

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 13% of the $11,276 monthly median income of Palo Alto 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).

Does Medicaid or Medicare pay for respite care?

Medicare pays for short inpatient respite stays only for people on its hospice benefit (Medicare.gov); the hospices on this page serve Palo Alto. Many state Medicaid home and community-based programs, veterans’ programs and the National Family Caregiver Support Program fund respite. Our guide How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave covers California.

More near Palo Alto

More senior care near Palo Alto

Respite Care in nearby cities

Other care in Palo Alto

More for Palo Alto 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.

Respite Care in Palo Alto, CA