Support routine, safety planning and caregiver relief without diagnosing, treating or promising wandering prevention.
Do not buy the maximum amount of help by default.
What part of daily life is actually failing?
When does it happen often enough to need reliable coverage?
What happens when the usual family helper cannot cover it?
Which needs belong to a clinician rather than household support?
Care Needs Assessment
Get a practical first plan. The tool gives you a result you can use, print or bring into a care-planning conversation.
Use the interactive toolWhat changes the plan locally
Atherton and Menlo Park share a Peninsula care ecosystem but not the same household profile. Atherton has a particularly high older-adult share, while Menlo Park is larger and has its own senior programming and transportation resources. The plan should follow the actual home, family coverage and appointment pattern rather than a generic Bay Area template.
A Verified Useful local starting points
San Mateo County Aging and Disability Services is the local Area Agency on Aging and offers intake/referral, assessment/consultation, supportive services and case management. Menlo Park Senior Center adds nutrition, wellness, social programming and transportation resources for older adults.
Stanford-Area Healthcare And Rehabilitation
Stanford Hospital is a major nearby clinical destination, and Stanford Rehabilitation Services provides neurologic rehabilitation in Palo Alto plus orthopedic/hand therapy in Redwood City. Clinical treatment and prescribed rehabilitation stay with licensed professionals; non-medical support should fit around that plan.
California Home-Care Boundary
Local Labor / Transportation Context
SamTrans Redi-Wheels serves eligible riders who cannot independently use fixed-route transit; eligibility and advance scheduling matter. Caregiver driving is a separate provider-specific question and must not be assumed.
Cost And Option Context
CareScout reports a 2025 California median of $40/hour for a non-medical caregiver. Care.com reports a September 2026 Atherton home-aide starting benchmark of $32.60/hour. These use different methodologies and should not be averaged into a fake local rate; neither is a provider quote.
What To Ask Before Deciding
Confirm exact service area, company licensing/compliance documentation, permitted tasks, screening and supervision, transportation policy, minimum visits, rates, backup process and how non-medical support coordinates with Stanford or other clinical providers without crossing into medical care.
When to get more help
For emergencies call 911. Stanford Health Care operates a 24-hour adult emergency department in Palo Alto. A non-medical caregiver or informational page is not an emergency substitute.
Common Questions
Where can San Mateo County families start? Aging and Disability Services / Area Agency on Aging. What local senior resource exists? Menlo Park Senior Center. What public mobility option exists for disability-related transit needs? SamTrans Redi-Wheels, subject to eligibility. Is non-medical care the same as Stanford rehabilitation or home health? No. Are the cost figures Alderwick prices? No—one is a statewide survey and one a marketplace proxy.
Ready To Map The Next Step?
PROBLEM GUIDE — DECISION SUPPORT