An assisted living facility is a special care facility that offers all or most of the same services as a nursing home, but while still allowing residents a maximum amount of freedom and dignity. Residents of assisted living facilities require assistance with daily living, but not round-the-clock nursing care. Southern New Jersey is home to an increasing number of assisted living facilities.
Locating an Assisted Living Facility
With new assisted living facilities opening all the time, locating an assisted living facility in New Jersey can be a challenge. The Health Care Association of New Jersey, or HCANJ, offers consumers a facility locator that breaks down facilities into assisted living facilities, nursing facilities and residential care facilities. You can search their facilities by specific New Jersey municipalities and counties, or look for individual facilities alphabetically by name (see Resources).
Regulation
All New Jersey assisted living facilities are regulated by the state Department of Health and Senior Services, and are subject to annual unannounced inspections just as nursing homes are. The executive director or administrator of each assisted living facility must be licensed by the state Department of Health and Senior Services. The licensing procedure provides minimum requirements that the facility must meet. Assisted Living Facilities must accept Medicaid as a form of payment and cannot wrongfully evict tenants.
Considerations
In 2010 four assisted living facilities in New Jersey were closed down. All four facilities were operated by Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. who had been under investigation by the state for allegedly evicting residents who had depleted their savings and were now using Medicaid to pay their fees. Assisted Living Concepts voluntarily surrendered the licenses for four of their facilities and chose to continue to operate the facilities as senior housing communities, which are not subject to the same regulations as assisted living facilities.
Features
Each assisted living facility offers their own selection of amenities. Choosing the right assisted living facility for you will depend upon your own interests and activities, the convenience of the location and your own feelings about the living space offered. All assisted living facilities should offer three meals a day served in a dining room, housekeeping services, assistance with transportation, assistance with basic daily tasks, a wellness or nursing program, medication management, social and recreational offerings, and round-the-clock staff.
Admission and Discharge Policies
Admission and discharge policies are usually set by each individual assisted living facility. While the level of care that resident will require is the number one factor in determining whether a patient is suitable for an assisted living facility, other factors are also taken into consideration and vary from facility to facility. Some facilities may not admit or retain patients with behavioral symptoms, patients who need nursing care or patients with moderate to severe cognitive impairment.
Rooms and Costs
In general, assisted living facilities in southern New Jersey offer residents the choice of a private or a semiprivate room. Semiprivate rooms involve sharing a room with another resident. In 2009, the daily rate for a private room in New Jersey ranged from $156 to $525, with an average daily rate of $307. A semiprivate room in New Jersey cost between $131 to $331 per day, with an average cost of $277 per day; 2009 saw an average increase in assisted living costs of 5.2 percent, according to NJ.com.
References
- NJ Department of Health and Senior Services: Assisted Living in New Jersey
- Health Care Association of New Jersey: Homepage
- NJ.com: Seniors Must Find New Home
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: A National Study of Assisted Living for the Frail Elderly
- NJ.com: Cost of Long Term Care Outpaces Inflation
