A lot of franchised assisted living homes don’t have the best of reputations, but in Marin, there are more than a few local organizations dedicated to elder care in far more helpful and personal ways. 

The 2025 readers’ choice Best of the County winner is Vivalon (pictured above). For the rest of the Marin Magazine‘s Best of Marin County Elder Services picks see below.

Our 2025 Philanthropy category sponsor is Marin Community Foundation. View the rest of the Philanthropy category here.

We’ve broken it down by region: Southern, Central and Northern Marin.

Southern Marin

Marin Home Care

Tiburon

Locally owned and operated, Marin Home Care stands in opposition to large franchise senior home providers. Their focus allows them to truly get to know those they care for, forming bonds with each person to make sure that they’re providing exactly what each individual needs.

1640 Tiburon Blvd #16, Belvedere-Tiburon, 415.712.1917

Central Marin

By the Bay Health

Larkspur

By the Bay Health is a nonprofit hospice and home care provider serving Marin and the Bay Area. Founded in 1975, it offers hospice, home health, and grief support services. Affiliated with UCSF Health, it focuses on compassionate care and expanding access to serious illness and end-of-life support.

17 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Larkspur, 415.927.2273 

Senior Helpers 

San Rafael

Senior Helpers of Marin provides in-home care for seniors, including personal care, companionship, and support for dementia, Parkinson’s, and chronic conditions. Locally owned, they focus on helping seniors live safely and comfortably at home.

777 Grand Ave Ste 101, San Rafael, 415.300.2273

St. Vincent de Paul Society

San Rafael

St. Vincent de Paul provides compassionate, individualized assistance to help our most vulnerable neighbors obtain nutritious food, affordable housing, meaningful employment, and a voice in our community. Their crisis assistance programs have grown to support over 8,000 people annually, including housing Marin’s chronically homeless and those who are precariously housed.

820 B St, San Rafael, 415.454.3303

Vivalon

San Rafael

Vivalon has been committed to supporting Marin’s older adults and people with disabilities for the past 70+ years, with their Whistlestop program that provides rides and their Meals On Wheels food-delivery service, among a slew of other programs.

999 3rd St, San Rafael, 415.456.9062

Northern Marin

Homeward Bound

Novato

Homeward Bound is all about housing first. Their extensive network of homeless shelters and programs to help people recover from the stress of homelessness are among the best in Marin. Additionally, they operate Oma Village, a supportive housing program run by Homeward Bound that helps get people back on their feet.

1385 N Hamilton Pkwy, Novato, 415.382.3363

LilyPad Senior Assisted Living Advisors

Novato

LilyPad Senior Assisted Living Advisors is a free, locally based service helping families find the right senior living options. Founded by healthcare professionals, they offer compassionate, personalized guidance through the senior care placement process.

926 Diablo Ave, Novato, 415.450.9525

Miscelleneous

SonoMarin Senior Fitness  

Marin-wide

SonoMarin Senior Fitness is a concierge personal training service dedicated to helping older adults stay strong, mobile and independent all from the comfort of their own home. Serving both Marin and Sonoma counties, their trainers specialize in senior fitness and provide personalized, one-on-one sessions tailored to each client’s unique needs and goals. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition or simply looking to stay active, they bring high-quality, compassionate care directly to you. Need some more convincing? Visit their website to see testimonials from their clients and local doctors.

628.272.7486

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