I. What You Should Know About Home Care in Stockton, CA

Situated in the heart of California’s sunny Central Valley, Stockton has a lot to offer seniors who want to age in a place where they have easy access to health care services, cultural attractions and entertainment. Seniors aged 65 and older make up 12.4% of the city’s population, which sits at just over 320,000 residents.

If you enjoy year-round warm temperatures, snow-free winters and plenty of sunshine, you’ll love the climate in Stockton. On average, the city has 257 sun-filled days each year, and even during the peak of summer, temperatures rarely exceed the mid-90’s. You’ll also be pleased to know that you won’t have to travel outside of Stockton to find health care services. St. Joseph’s Medical Center is a 355-bed nonprofit hospital staffed by nearly 900 physicians, and the Dameron Hospital also offers cardiac, orthopedic, rehabilitation and general surgery services.

Day trip destinations nearby make the city a perfect home base for exploring the region. Stockton is less than 85 miles from downtown San Francisco, and Sacramento sits less than 50 miles north of Stockton, while the world-renowned Napa vineyards are less than 75 miles to the northwest.

II. What You Should Expect to Pay for Home Care in Stockton, CA

Genworth’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey shows that you can expect to pay about $5,243 per month for home care services in Stockton. Genworth’s rates are based on 44 hours of care per week, which works out to an average hourly rate of $27.50. You can estimate your monthly home care costs by multiplying $27.50 by the number of hours of support you expect to require each month.

Home health care, a type of care that combines home care services with some in-home medical care, also costs an average of $5,243 per month in Stockton.

The Cost of Home Care & Home Health Care in Nearby Cities

At a monthly average cost of $5,243 for home care and home health care services, in-home care rates in Stockton are below the statewide average of $5,529 for either type of care. In nearby Sacramento, average rates for both kinds of in-home care are $620 more than what seniors in Stockton pay, while to the south in Modesto, home care and home health care costs are lower at around $5,148 per month. West of Stockton, San Francisco’s in-home care rates are higher at an average of $6,101 per month.

The Cost of Home Care Compared to Other Senior Living Options

Stockton’s monthly median home care and home health care rates fall between the city’s median cost of assisted living at $3,500 and the cost of a semiprivate nursing home room, which is about $8,623 per month. Adult day care services, also known as adult day health care, is the lowest-cost senior care service at $1,273 per month.

III. How to Find Home Care in Stockton, CA

Finding a home care provider for yourself or a loved one can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Below, we explain the process of how to find a home care provider in 5 simple steps. Use the infographic below to help guide your search for in-home care in Stockton, CA.

An infographic giving steps to finding a home care provider

Remember that there’s not necessarily a right or wrong choice – it comes down to choosing a provider that you feel comfortable with and who’s capable of meeting your specific needs. No matter which provider you choose, you should always have a formal arrangement with your expectations and the payment rate in writing. Doing so will prevent confusion or potential disagreements down the line so that the focus remains on helping the person receiving care.

IV. Home Care Resources for Seniors in Stockton, CA

Affordable Housing Programs 

What You Should Know
Keeping up with home maintenance projects and emergency repairs can be difficult, especially for older homeowners who live on a limited income. The City of Stockton’s Housing Division administers two programs to help residents complete critical home repairs, the Emergency Repair Program and the Single Family Housing Repair Loan Program.

The emergency repair program provides homeowners with up to $30,000 in zero-interest assistance towards safety-critical repairs, such as code violations and repairs to the home’s heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical systems. This program also funds accessibility modifications for aged and disabled homeowners, such as wheelchair ramps, automatic door openers, raised toilets and fall-prevention bars. The single family housing repair loan program covers many of the same types of repairs as the emergency repair program does, but 1% simple interest is charged on the loan.

Who Is Eligible?
You may be eligible for one of these two affordable housing programs if you own and occupy your own home in Stockton, your gross household income is at or below 80% of the city’s median family income for the current year, and you need to complete home repairs that are related to accessibility, safety or code violations.

How to Get Started
To learn more about how you can access funds through either of these two programs to make your Stockton home safer, call the Housing, Economic Development, Asset Management and Parking Authority at (209) 937-8539.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Stockton — Senior Services

What You Should Know
Catholic Charities, a nonprofit organization, operates a number of senior service programs designed to help Stockton seniors remain safe and independent. These programs include the Homecoming Project, an initiative that supports seniors who are transitioning back to the community following hospitalization or a stay in a rehabilitation center.

CCS also operates the Multipurpose Senior Services Program, which provides frail seniors aged 65 and older with case management services to help delay or prevent out-of-home placement. Seniors in Stockton who need a ride to a non-urgent medical appointment, to run errands or to shop for groceries can use the CCS’s Transportation Program.

Who is Eligible?
Eligibility criteria for each CCS senior program vary. In general, seniors need to reside in San Joaquin County and be at least 60 years of age in order to access these services.

How to Get Started
To learn more about Catholic Charities’ Senior Service programs, call (209) 444-5900.

Meals on Wheels

What You Should Know
Meals on Wheels is a low-cost nutritional support program that helps housebound Stockton seniors remain safe and well-nourished. This program provides seniors with a weekly delivery of five frozen heat-and-serve meals that are low in salt and sugar and that contain a serving of protein, vegetables and a starch. Seniors also receive five servings of fresh fruit and five cartons of milk each week.

The meals are distributed by volunteers who have successfully completed a background check. In addition to delivering meals, these volunteers take a moment to chat with each senior. If the senior requires additional support, the volunteer alerts the appropriate social service agency, the seniors’ loved ones, or emergency services.

Who is Eligible?
You can sign up for Meals on Wheels service if you’re aged 60 or older and you’re largely housebound due to illness or mobility issues. You can also request Meals on Wheels deliveries if you care for a housebound spouse or a disabled dependent adult.

Clients are asked to make a small donation to help support the Meals on Wheels program, but you won’t be refused service if you’re unable or unwilling to pay.

How to Get Started
To learn more about Stockton’s Meals on Wheels program, call (209) 468-1104.

Over 50 and Fabulous/Oak Park Senior Center

What You Should Know
Stockton’s Community Services department owns and operates the Oak Park Senior Community Center, a wheelchair-accessible center that hosts social, recreational and educational programs for seniors.

Amenities at Oak Park include a fitness room with age-appropriate equipment and a number of multi-purpose rooms. The center also has card and board games that members can use and a dedicated crafting area. Programming, which varies depending on the season, often includes group fitness classes, organized bingo games, monthly farmer’s markets, movie screenings and health screening clinics. Center staff organize regular day trips to nearby wineries, museums and special events for seniors, and members can get a free haircut at the center on designated days.

Who is Eligible?
As a Stockton senior aged 50 and older, you can join the Oak Park Senior Community Center. An annual membership costs $25 and includes most classes, activities and programs offered at the center.

How to Get Started
To learn more about the city’s Over 50 and Fabulous programs and the Oak Park Senior Community Center, call (209) 937-7777.