Dementia and 24-Hour Home Care in Rancho Santa Fe and Fairbanks Ranch

Schedule a free in-home assessment · Call (760) 720-7740, available 24/7

Dementia care on large properties

Homes in and around Rancho Santa Fe are often spread out, and that matters once memory loss begins to affect judgment and orientation:

• The Covenant: large-lot homes on rolling land, where the average lot is more than two acres and a private trail network runs through the community. Long driveways, separate outbuildings, gardens and open land can make it hard to know where someone has gone.

• The Village of Rancho Santa Fe: the shops and restaurants near the center of the Covenant, often part of a parent's familiar weekly routine

• Fairbanks Ranch: a guard-gated neighborhood of estate homes with 24-hour manned gates, a clubhouse, and trails and open space within the community

On a large property, a caregiver's job is partly about distance: knowing which doors lead outside, which rooms your loved one heads to when restless, and how far it is from the bedroom to the kitchen, the pool or the garage. At the free assessment we walk the house and grounds with you, including stairs, entry doors, gates, patios, pools and any separate living spaces, and plan care around how your loved one actually spends the day.

Long shifts: 8 to 24 hours a day

In a large home, a short visit rarely covers what families worry about most: the long afternoon, the evening, and the night. Some families begin with 4-hour visits a few days a week. Many in this area move to longer coverage as dementia progresses. We schedule:

• Full-day shifts of 8 to 12 hours, so one caregiver can carry the day from breakfast through dinner, including personal care, meals and activities

• Overnight shifts, so someone is awake in the home if your loved one gets up, feels confused or needs help to the bathroom

• 24-hour care, with caregivers scheduled in shifts around the clock so the home is never without help

Heritage provides 24-hour care through scheduled shifts. See how our 24-hour and overnight care works.

Keeping familiar routines

A steady rhythm to the day helps reduce confusion and anxiety. Our caregivers keep routines going for as long as they are safe and enjoyable, whether that is coffee on the terrace, a walk on a familiar path, a drive to the Village for lunch, a game of mahjong with friends or time in the garden. They also help with:

• Personal care: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and moving safely around the house, including on stairs

• Meals and hydration: preparing familiar dishes, sitting down to eat together and offering drinks through the day

• Medication reminders: prompts at the right times (non-medical; our caregivers do not administer medication)

• Engagement: music, photo albums, cards, puzzles, simple household tasks and conversation suited to what your loved one can enjoy

• Light housekeeping and laundry connected to your loved one's care

• Transportation and errands, including rides to appointments, outings and familiar places

Each care plan is built around your loved one's history, habits and what comforts them, and we match caregivers to their personality. Read more about our Alzheimer's and dementia care.

Wandering and sundowning on a large property

• Wandering: with acreage, trails, open land and long driveways, a person with dementia who leaves the house alone can get far before anyone notices. Our caregivers watch for restlessness and attempts to leave, and gently redirect with a walk together, a snack or a familiar task. At the assessment we can also talk through changes families often make, such as door chimes, pool fencing and gate latches, motion lights and keeping car keys out of sight.

• Sundowning: late afternoons and evenings can bring agitation and confusion. Our caregivers keep that time calm, with softer light, less noise, a predictable evening routine and reassurance instead of correction. Overnight and 24-hour shifts cover the hours families find hardest.

When family lives out of town

Many parents in Rancho Santa Fe have adult children who live in other cities or states, and one of them often ends up coordinating care from a distance. We set up care so the whole family can stay informed:

• One point of contact: we agree with you on who in the family makes care decisions and who should get updates

• A written care plan that every caregiver on your loved one's schedule follows

• Planned check-ins with the family member coordinating care, on a schedule we agree on together

• Coordination with the people already involved, such as a spouse, a housekeeper or household staff, a care manager, or a fiduciary or trustee who handles your parent's affairs

When a son or daughter is flying in for a visit or a family meeting, the free assessment can be scheduled so they can be there in person.

Gated communities and private homes

In guard-gated communities such as Fairbanks Ranch, residents arrange access for visitors under their community's rules. Before care starts, we go over gate and entry details with you so caregivers can arrive and leave without disrupting your household. We also respect the privacy of every home we work in.

Staying home or moving to memory care?

Many families tour memory care communities before calling us. For some people a facility is the right choice. Others do better at home, in their own room, with their own routines and one-on-one time with a caregiver who knows them. At the assessment we'll give you a straightforward view of what home care can and can't do for your loved one.

After a hospital stay

Families often call us when a parent is getting ready to come home from Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla or another hospital in the area. The hospital team and your loved one's doctors handle the medical side. Our caregivers help with daily life: settling in, meals, bathing and dressing, reminders and company during the day and overnight.

Rancho Santa Fe resources for families

A few local organizations families here turn to:

• Rancho Santa Fe Senior Center on La Gracia, a nonprofit serving the area since 1988. Its staff can talk through senior resources with you, including in-home care, long-term care, family support and transportation, and it offers classes and social activities. There is no membership fee, and you don't have to live in Rancho Santa Fe to take part.

• Rancho Santa Fe Community Center on La Sendita, a nonprofit in the heart of the Covenant with adult fitness programs, group meetings and memberships for seniors

• Alzheimer's San Diego, a nonprofit offering free support groups for family caregivers, including virtual groups and specialized groups for adult children and for long-distance caregivers

Support for you and care for your loved one go hand in hand: a group or program helps the family, and care at home helps the person living with dementia.

Respite for family caregivers

A spouse caring for a husband or wife with dementia often carries most of the day alone, even with family nearby. Respite care gives you planned time away, a few hours, a full day or several nights, while one of our caregivers keeps your loved one's routine steady at home. Families use respite to rest, travel, keep up with their own appointments or sleep through the night. Respite visits have the same 4-hour minimum and can be booked once or on a recurring schedule.

Veterans and their families

Some families here are caring for a veteran or a veteran's surviving spouse. Heritage Senior Care is contracted with the VA for Homemaker and respite care. The VA decides eligibility and costs. We don't file VA claims, but we can connect families with VA-accredited people who do. Learn more about in-home care for veterans.

Long-term care insurance

A long-term care insurance policy may help pay for care at home. Every policy is different, so we offer a long-term care insurance policy review and walk through your parent's policy with you before care starts.

Simple, flexible terms

• 4-hour visit minimum: time for meaningful help, not a hurried check-in

• No long-term contracts: add hours, cut back or pause care as needs change

• Free in-home assessment: we meet you and your loved one at home before care starts

One family-owned office, caregivers across North County

Gayle Mayben founded Heritage Senior Care in 1983 with her daughter Roni, and Heritage Senior Care, Inc. remains family-owned today. We are a licensed California Home Care Organization (HCO #374700058). Scheduling for every client is handled from one office at 2111 Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad. Our caregivers are Heritage employees who live and work throughout North County San Diego.

Before caring for clients, each of our caregivers completes a lifetime background check with Live Scan fingerprinting through the FBI and the California Department of Justice.

Our care is non-medical. We do not provide nursing, therapy or medical treatment. If your loved one already has a home health or hospice team, our caregivers can work alongside them. We also provide dementia care in nearby Del Mar and Carmel Valley, Solana Beach and Encinitas.

Questions to ask before you hire dementia care in Rancho Santa Fe

Do you provide in-home dementia care in Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch and the Covenant?

Yes. Heritage Senior Care provides non-medical in-home care for people living with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia in Rancho Santa Fe, including the Covenant and Fairbanks Ranch. Care is scheduled from our office in Carlsbad, and our caregivers come to your home.

Are your caregivers your own employees?

Yes. Our caregivers are W-2 employees of Heritage Senior Care, Inc. We hire, train, schedule and supervise them ourselves.

How are your caregivers screened?

Before caring for clients, each of our caregivers completes a lifetime background check with Live Scan fingerprinting through the FBI and the California Department of Justice. Heritage Senior Care is a licensed California Home Care Organization (HCO #374700058).

Can a person with dementia receive 24-hour care at home instead of moving to memory care?

In many cases, yes. We schedule full-day shifts of 8 to 12 hours, overnight shifts and 24-hour care, with caregivers scheduled in shifts around the clock so someone is always in the home. Whether home is the right fit depends on your loved one's needs.

I live out of state. How will I know how my parent is doing?

We agree with you on one point of contact and set up planned check-ins on a schedule we agree on together. Every caregiver follows the same written care plan, and we can coordinate with a spouse, household staff, a care manager or a fiduciary who is involved.

How does care work in a gated community like Fairbanks Ranch?

Residents arrange visitor access under their community's rules. Before care starts, we go over gate and entry details with you so caregivers can come and go smoothly.

Do your caregivers give medications or provide nursing care?

No. Our caregivers give medication reminders. They do not administer medication or provide medical or nursing care. They can work alongside a home health or hospice team.

What is the minimum visit, and do I have to sign a contract?

Visits are a minimum of 4 hours, and there are no long-term contracts. You can add hours, cut back or pause care as needs change.

What happens during the free assessment?

We meet you and your loved one at home, walk through the house and grounds, and talk about daily routines, safety concerns and how many hours of help you need. Family members who live away are welcome to join. Then we put together a care plan. Call (760) 720-7740, available 24/7, or request a free assessment. You can also send us a note.

Dementia care for your Rancho Santa Fe family, from a family that has been doing this since 1983. Free assessment · (760) 720-7740 (24/7) · Office Mon–Fri 9 am–4 pm · 2111 Palomar Airport Rd Ste 120, Carlsbad, CA 92011