Alameda County

Familiar Surroundings Home Care serves seniors and families along the southern Alameda County corridor, with a focus on Fremont, Newark, Union City and Hayward, Pleasanton and Livermore. Roughly a quarter-million residents of the county are 65 or older, and most of them have no intention of leaving the homes they raised their families in. Our in-home care services are built to make that possible, delivered one-on-one, right where our clients already feel most comfortable.

Seniors along the I-880 corridor have solid medical support close by, including Washington Hospital in Fremont, Kaiser Permanente’s Fremont campus, St. Rose Hospital in Hayward and Eden Medical Center just past the Hayward line in Castro Valley and Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley in Pleasanton. What those hospitals cannot provide is the day-to-day help that makes aging in place actually work. That is our role. Whether your parent needs a few hours of companionship each week or around-the-clock attention, our home care for Alameda County families is built around their routine, not ours.

Call (510) 292-4010 to speak with someone about care in your neighborhood.

 

Our Caregivers Are Employees, Not Contractors

Families in Alameda County comparing agencies should know that many of them operate as referral services. They connect you with an independent contractor, collect a fee and step back. We do things differently. Every caregiver who walks into your loved one’s home is our employee, screened by us, trained by us, supervised by us and covered by our insurance. 

• More than 15 years of family ownership. We are not a franchise following a corporate playbook written in another state. We are a family-run agency that has cared for Bay Area seniors since 2010, and we still answer to the families we serve.
• Support available 24 hours a day. Care needs do not follow business hours. Someone from our team is reachable at any hour, including weekends and holidays, whether you need a schedule change or a same-day fill-in.
• Care plans that flex as needs change. Start with four hours twice a week. Move to daily visits after a hospital stay. Shift to 24 hour care if a diagnosis progresses. You are never locked into a level of service that no longer fits.
• Fully licensed, bonded and insured. We are licensed by the State of California as a Home Care Organization, and every caregiver is bonded and covered by workers’ compensation and liability insurance. 

 

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support for Alameda County Families

Our caregivers receive training in dementia and Alzheimer’s support, with an emphasis on patience, redirection and preserving dignity. We build each plan around the individual: what time of day they are sharpest, which activities calm them, what topics bring back good memories and which triggers to avoid. Consistency is central to how we schedule, because a familiar caregiver in a familiar home is one of the most stabilizing things you can give someone living with memory loss.

For anyone caring for a spouse or parent with dementia, our support also means relief for you. Even a few scheduled hours of respite care each week gives you room to rest, work or handle everything else that has piled up.

 

Staying in the Home You Already Know

Most seniors in Alameda County do not want to leave home. They want help with the handful of things that have become difficult, so they can keep doing everything else on their own terms. 

• Personal care and hygiene: bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting assistance, handled respectfully
• Meal planning and preparation: shopping, cooking and meals that match dietary restrictions or a doctor’s guidance
• Medication reminders: keeping prescriptions on schedule and flagging refills before they run out
• Light housekeeping and laundry: dishes, tidying, linens and keeping walkways clear to reduce fall risk
• Transportation and errands: rides to appointments at Washington Hospital, Kaiser Fremont or St. Rose, plus groceries, the bank and church
• Companionship: conversation, card games, walks around the block and a steady presence that keeps isolation from setting in

Schedules run from a few hours a week to full-time or 24 hour coverage. If you are not sure what level of senior care for Alameda County families makes sense, we will come out, assess the situation in person and give you an honest recommendation.

 

Five Things Worth Asking Before You Hire Anyone

Ask every agency on your list the same five questions. The answers will tell you almost everything you need to know.

1. How long have you been in business?
Home care has a high turnover of agencies. One that has operated locally for years has systems, backup caregivers and a reputation it needs to protect.

2. How do you screen your caregivers?
Ask specifically about criminal background checks, verification of credentials, reference checks, and whether the caregiver is an employee or an independent contractor. The answer to that last part determines who is liable if there is an injury or a theft.

3. Are you licensed, bonded and insured?
Ask for the license number and look it up on the California’s Home Care Aide Registry. Then confirm workers’ compensation coverage. Without it, a caregiver hurt in your home can become your financial problem.

4. How are caregivers trained and evaluated?
Initial training matters, but so does ongoing supervision. Ask who checks in on care quality, how often, and how complaints are handled.

5. Will we get a written, personalized care plan?
Care should start with an in-home assessment and a documented plan, then be revisited as needs change.

 

Care We Deliver for Alameda County Families

Our caregivers cover the full range of needs, from a few hours of company each week to continuous overnight supervision. Here is a list of what we offer:

• Hourly Services
• Transportation
• Respite Care
• Veterans Services
• Hospital to Home Program
• In Home Personal Care
• Senior Placement Services
• Care Management
• Household Services
• Alzheimer's & Dementia Care
• Personal Care Services
• Companion Care
• Computers for Seniors
• Post Surgery Care
• Long Term Care Insurance Navigation
• Wheel Chair Van
• GUIDE Respite

 

Familiar Surroundings Home Care Serves Fremont, Newark, Union City and Hayward

• Fremont
• Newark
• Union City
• Hayward
• Pleasanton
• Livermore

Our caregivers work throughout Alameda County, so if you are just outside these four cities, call us anyway. We very likely cover your neighborhood.

 

In Their Own Words

“I had the pleasure of needing and utilizing the services of Familiar Surroundings Home Care for my father. I was so impressed from the first phone call to the last day of service. They were amazing and caring with excellent communication. Highly recommend!!”

— Darlene M.

 

“I have used Familiar Surroundings Home Care for many years and have been very happy with the excellent service provided to my grandfather. All of the staff at Familiar Surroundings have helped my grandfather fulfill his wishes to stay in his home where he is happy. The caregivers went above and beyond and became such a great support and friend to my family.”

— Rachael L.

 

Start With One Phone Call

Talking to someone is faster than reading another website. Call (510) 292-4010 or use the form below to request your free consultation. We will walk you through your options, answer questions about cost and scheduling and set up a free in-home assessment at a time that works for your family.
Your family’s peace of mind starts here.

 

Local Support for Alameda County Families

• Senior Transportation Options Across Alameda County
• In-Home Safety Checklist for Older East Bay Homes
• When Is it Time to Think About Senior Home Care?

Making the home safer. Older houses were not designed with aging in mind. Steep front steps, narrow bathrooms, poor lighting in hallways and loose rugs cause the majority of household falls. Grab bars, better bulbs, non-slip flooring and clearing walkways are inexpensive fixes that prevent hospital stays, and we include a safety walkthrough with every assessment.

Knowing when to start care. Families usually wait too long. Missed medications, unopened mail, weight loss, a cluttered kitchen or a parent who has quietly stopped seeing friends are all signs that help is overdue. Starting with a few hours a week is far easier than starting after a fall. For county-level support, Alameda County Adult and Aging Services and the local Area Agency on Aging can connect families with meal programs, benefits counseling and caregiver support groups.

 

Familiar Surroundings Home Care
Serving Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward and all of Alameda County
Tel: (510) 292-4010