Respite Care in Portola Valley, CA for Caregivers

Local figures

Respite Care in Portola Valley, CA: the local picture

1,889

residents 65 or older (44% of Portola Valley)

83%

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

21%

of residents 65+ report a disability (28% in San Mateo County)

17

Medicare-certified hospices serve Portola Valley ZIP codes

Most older adults in Portola Valley live with someone: 83% 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 380 Portola Valley residents aged 65 or older report a disability (21%) (28% in San Mateo County). Many of them rely on a spouse or adult child day to day.

Medicare lists 17 hospices serving Portola Valley ZIP codes. For someone on hospice, Medicare also covers short inpatient respite stays so the family caregiver can rest.

Portola Valley compared with San Mateo County and California

Census figure	Portola Valley	San Mateo County	California
Residents 65+ with a disability	21%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	17%	21%	23%
Residents 65 or older	44%	18%	16%
Residents 85 or older	12%	2.5%	1.9%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	9.0%	12%
Households with no vehicle	4.0%	5.8%	7.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$250,001	$103,766	—

Older residents in towns around Portola Valley

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Woodside, CA	4.2 mi	1,211	16%
West Menlo Park, CA	5.0 mi	476	41%
Los Altos Hills, CA	5.2 mi	2,590	23%
Palo Alto, CA	5.4 mi	13,369	26%
Stanford, CA	5.6 mi	692	14%
Atherton, CA	6.6 mi	1,793	25%

Hospices serving Portola Valley

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Pathways Home Health And Hospice	Sunnyvale, CA	12 mi	(408) 730-5900
Mission Hospice & Home Care, Inc.	San Mateo, CA	14 mi	(650) 554-1000
Sutter Care At Home	San Mateo, CA	14 mi	(650) 685-2830
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Hospice-Santa Clara	Santa Clara, CA	15 mi	(408) 342-6699
Redwood Hospice	San Jose, CA	17 mi	(800) 825-8556

Nursing homes near Portola Valley (ask about short stays)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
The Sequoias	Portola Valley, CA	1.0 mi	5 of 5	43	(650) 851-1501
Vi At Palo Alto	Palo Alto, CA	5.9 mi	5 of 5	44	(650) 853-5001
The Terraces At Los Altos Health Facility	Los Altos, CA	6.5 mi	4 of 5	30	(650) 948-8291
Atherton Park Post-Acute	Menlo Park, CA	6.5 mi	4 of 5	160	(650) 325-8600

Straight-line miles from the center of Portola Valley. 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 Portola Valley

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 Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley: common questions

Which hospices serve Portola Valley?

Medicare lists 17 hospices for Portola Valley ZIP codes, including Pathways Home Health And Hospice, Mission Hospice & Home Care, Inc., Sutter Care At Home.

How much does respite care cost in Portola Valley?

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 Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley. 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 Portola Valley

More senior care near Portola Valley

Respite Care in nearby cities

Other care in Portola Valley

More for Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley, CA