New Jersey Independent Living

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New Jersey Independent Living

New Jersey is well-known for it’s long and beautiful coastline, which is a famous vacation destination. There are over fifty resort towns offering a wide variety of fine dining, entertainment and more. The state of New Jersey has the fourth lowest crime rate in the country, which makes it ideal. For these reasons and more, many seniors and retirees choose to reside in the Garden State. Our aging adult population may require care at some point, or a change of scenery to minimize stress and home maintenance. When most people think of senior care and living, they immediately envision a nursing home. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Independent living communities provide their residents the perfect setting to honor and maintain their independence. Independent living communities accommodate residents with fully equipped private apartments or cottages, and because residents live on their own terms, independent living communities do not assist with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, and medication reminders.

Independent Living Communities are all different. Some have traditional offerings and there are some communities that present new ideas and strategies to enhance the comfort of residents.

Who are the ideal residents for independent living communities?

Independent living communities accommodate residents with fully equipped private apartments or cottages, and because residents live on their own terms, independent living communities do not assist with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, and medication reminders, like you may receive in a nursing home.

However, they may offer amenities such as housekeeping, linen services, transportation and social and recreational activities, included for an additional charge. Independent living may also be called Retirement living or Senior living.

Independent living communities may offer desirable services for residents

The available services and amenities vary between different communities, or even between buildings on the same campus.

Services you may find in independent living

Meal Plans– This could be a community kitchen to prepare your own meals, flexible spending accounts, up to three meals each day. Some newer communities may even offer a restaurant, open to the public.
Housekeeping– May be offered as an additional fee or included in the base rent.
Transportation– May be an option, including regular scheduled trips to the grocery or nearby stores.
Linen service – Services may be offered for an additional fee or included in the base rent.
Activities– Some events may be run by residents with no staff involvement. Or a community may have a staff member plan, schedule and lead activities.

Amenities you may find in independent living

Amenities at an Independent Living Community can vary greatly. Typically the more available amenities, the higher the monthly rate. Most Independent Living in New Jersey offer excellent ways for people to stay social and build relationships with their peers in common areas or at a clubhouse on-site. Planned life enrichment opportunities could be: entertainment and performers, arts and crafts, game nights, movie nights, cocktail hour, bus trips and other outings. 

  • Recreational center or a clubhouse on-site.  
  • The type and variety of meals provided.
  • Swimming pools, steam room or sauna.
  • Sports facilities where residents can play bocce ball, racketball and tennis.  
  • Trails for walking.  
  • Covered parking.
  • Theater, library or billiards room.
  • Golf course.
  • On-site spa.
  • Beauty Salon & Barber.

Learning about what amenities are offered and comparing them to the desires of your loved one will go a long way toward finding the perfect fit.

Housing in independent living communities in New Jersey

In addition to reducing household responsibilities, independent living communities offer great living options for residents such as:

  • Studio apartments
  • One-bedroom apartments 
  • Spacious two-bedroom apartments  
  • Cottages
  • Duplexes 
  • Other stand-alone structures

More benefits of independent living

  • Common areas that allow people to socialize as they wish. Their time is their time. 
  • Organized events which give residents the opportunity to engage in social activities on premises and or in a nearby town. 
  • Dining rooms with plenty of meal options. Because of the needs and desires of each individual resident, most independent living communities have great choices for everyone.  
  • Friends and family can visit anytime.  
  • Residents have autonomy to make their own decisions as far as coming and going. 
  • Independent living communities may offer amenities such as libraries and computer rooms; fitness centers and exercise classes. 
  • Some communities allow cats and small and medium sized dogs.
  • Some communities may have a contracted agency on site to provide scheduled assistance for activities of daily living (ADLs) if needed.

These communities are NOT a nursing home

Because residents in an Independent Living community are healthy and live independently, most do not offer medical or nursing care. However, some communities may have a contracted agency on site to provide scheduled assistance for Activities of daily living if needed. These home care agencies would provide services for an additional cost. Residents have the option of how to approach their medical care as needed and they may choose to bring on in-home nursing or care as they so choose.

Laws and regulations in New Jersey

Independent Living communities are NOT typically licensed by the state. Some Assisted Living Communities may offer an “Independent Level of Care.” These residents may pay a lower fee because you are not requiring direct care. In this instance, the community would be licensed by the state of New Jersey, and you could add care as needed for the on site staff. This however, is not the typical model of Independent Living.

How much does independent living in New Jersey cost?

The average cost of independent living in New Jersey is $4,200 per month. This is much higher than the national average of $2,950 per month. Within New Jersey, costs vary. On the high end of cost is Trenton at $5,300 per month; the low end of cost is Atlantic City, which is $3,780 per month. The costs of independent living will fluctuate city by city, and from community to community.

  • National average cost in an independent living community: $2,950
  • Average cost of independent living in New Jersey: $4,200
  • Atlantic City: $3,800
  • Trenton: $5,300
  • Ocean City: $4,900

Paying for Independent Living, what resources are available to help?

Private Funds- YES: Most families pay for independent living with private funds. Private pay can be a combination of retirement funds, personal savings, and pension payments. Family members may also contribute funds toward a loved one’s care.

Tax Credit, section 202, HUD housing -MAYBE:

  • Occupancy in Section 202 housing is open to any very low-income household comprised of at least one person who is at least 62 years old at the time of initial occupancy.
  • The Section 202 program helps expand the supply of affordable housing with supportive services for the elderly. It provides very low-income elderly with options that allow them to live independently but in an environment that provides support activities such as cleaning, cooking, transportation, etc. The program is similar to Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811).

Veterans Aid & Attendance -MAYBE:

  • Veteran aid and attendance allow veterans to receive financial benefits.   
  • A single veteran may qualify for as much as $2,050 a month in benefits.   
  • A veteran with a spouse may qualify for as much as $2,430 per month.   
  • A well veteran with an ill spouse may qualify for as much as $1,600 per month.  
  • A surviving spouse may qualify for $1,300 a month.

Long-term Care Insurance- NOT TYPICALLY: This type of insurance does cover independent living communities because the policy owner will typically need assistance with Activities of Daily living to start the claim process. This care level is not typically offered by the Independent Living Provider. Typically, long-term care insurance will only help off-set costs related to care provided by a licensed provider, and not rent fees or meal expenses. 

Standard medical insurance- NO: Health Insurance does NOT cover independent living communities because there are no direct medical treatments and services involved.

Medicare- NO: Medicare does not cover independent living, and rarely pays for assisted living level of care. Medicare’s main function is the coverage of certain expenses like short-term care, and rehabilitation depending on eligibility. 

Medicaid- NO: Medicaid does not cover independent living. Most state medicaid plans require a care need to be present, such as dressing assistance, bathing assistance, cognitive impairment, etc.

Questions to ask when looking for Independent Living

  • Does the community or facility have the right atmosphere for your needs?
  • May I visit the community today?
  • Who are the residents?
  • What is the food like? Are residents happy with the food options?
  • What are the transportation options?
  • What amenities and activities are available?
  • What are the costs for extra amenities?
  • Does the facility have the right atmosphere for your needs?
  • Make sure the facility is clean and well maintained. You can tell a lot about the operation by noting What is clean and maintained. Are doorknobs loose or damaged? Do you see any frayed carpet or trip hazards?
  • Visit during lunch hour to observe what the residents are eating. Ask questions about the nutrition program. Is there diversity in meals, healthy fruits and vegetables served at all meals, drink options?
  • Speak to residents and/or family members to learn their perspective.
  • Ask about staff and resident engagement. Get a feel for how staff interact with residents.
  • Ask about the life enrichment programs. Activities are crucial when it comes to quality of life and play a key role in care for older adults.
  • And finally (there is a plethora of more things to consider), get to know the leadership in the building. If you feel good around the executive director, head nurse, lead activities director and even the chef or janitor, it is a good sign you can trust them with the care of your loved one.

Eldercare Locator is a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources. Connect with services such as meals, home care or transportation, or a caregiver education or respite from caregiving responsibilities. The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the Administration on Aging (AoA), an agency of the U.S. Administration for Community Living.

Medicare provides a search feature to find & compare providers near you, most senior housing and care providers are included on CareAvailability.com. Find & compare plans in your area. Determine if you qualify for premium savings

Medicaid offers information on how to apply for Medicaid, eligibility criteria, links to local state offices, and additional resources.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Whether you are living with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone with the disease, information and resources are available. 

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Care Availability

Care Availability

Written by The Care Availability Team
Experts in the senior care & retirement living industries

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