Choosing A Senior Living Community in New Jersey

Quick Summary: For New Jersey seniors and their families, choosing a senior living community may seem overwhelming. This guide from JCHC explains the types of senior living, the benefits of senior living communities, and how to determine which senior living community in New Jersey is right for you and your family.

Older couple researching types of senior living in New Jersey

 

Remember the classic game show, Let’s Make a Deal? On each episode, host Monty Hall would call on members of the live studio audience to make a trade for cash and prizes. At the end of the show, Monty would invite winning contestants to trade the prizes they won for a look at the mystery prizes behind door number one, two, or three.

If you’re evaluating different types of senior living options available today, you may be feeling just like these contestants. What kind of lifestyle are you “trading” for and will you be happy with your choice? How do you know if there is a better option waiting behind another door?

At Jewish Community Housing Corporation (JCHC), we’ve been helping older adults looking for senior living in New Jersey for more than 25 years. We have four outstanding senior living residences to choose from covering the full spectrum of aging—from independent living to assisted living, memory care, and short-term respite care.

We’ve put together this guide to explain each type of senior living residence, benefits of a senior living community, and how to determine which type of senior living is best for you or your loved one.

What Are the Different Types of Senior Living Communities?

A senior living community is a residential community for older adults, typically age 55+, that offers housing and a wide variety of amenities, programming, events, dining services, and transportation. Today’s modern senior living community offers residents the chance to live an active, social retirement lifestyle.

There are several different types of senior living available at these communities:

  • Independent Living: For active adults who are largely self-sufficient but want the convenience, community, and lifestyle that a retirement community offers.
  • Assisted Living: Services for those who need support with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, or medication management.
  • Memory Care: Specialized care environments for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or cognitive impairment.
  • Respite Care: Short-term care for seniors designed to ensure seniors have the support they need when their caregivers or loved ones need to travel or have an unexpected emergency.

At JCHC’s Lester Senior Living community in Morris County, NJ, we offer all of these levels of living in one location.

We also offer three other independent senior living residences in Morris and Essex County, NJ:

Both Jewish Federation Plaza and B’nai B’rith Federation House are HUD-subsidized senior housing communities for adults ages 62 and over.

Which Type of Senior Living Community Is Right for You (Or Your Loved One)?

If you’re considering senior living, ask yourself: is taking care of your home becoming too much or too expensive to handle? As we age, maintenance, repairs, and regular upkeep may become more difficult, particularly during winter months. Additionally, New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the country according to the latest data available. It may make more financial sense long-term to sell your home and use the proceeds to help pay for senior living expenses.

When evaluating senior living options for a loved one, the type of community they need may depend on a number of factors:

  • Is your loved one self-sufficient? Can they comfortably manage activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and continence?
  • Is your loved one safe in your current home? While many older adults say they would like to age-in-place in their current home, they may not be considering modifications that need to be made to keep them safe and avoid the risk of falls or accidents. These modifications may be costly.
  • Are you concerned for your loved one’s well-being? If they’re not taking their medication or taking the wrong dosage, our team of assisted living caregivers can help manage their medication.
  • Does your loved one seem withdrawn. lonely, or isolated? Being a part of our energetic, welcoming community can help them connect to a sense of purpose and ensure they are frequently socializing through participation in activities and programming.
  • Have their needs become too much for you or your family to handle on your own? Being a full-time caregiver can be overwhelming at times, especially if you’re caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

For older adults who are still active and are not experiencing cognitive decline or significant memory loss, independent living is likely the best fit for their lifestyle and needs. If your loved one is still mentally sharp and active but needs more help with physical and personal care tasks, assisted living may be a better fit. Generally, memory care programs at senior living communities are reserved for seniors who are experiencing cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or cognitive impairment.

Comparing Types of Senior Living Communities

Independent Living Assisted Living Memory Care Respite Care
Designed for: Active, self-reliant seniors. Seniors who need support with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, feeding, and dressing. Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or cognitive impairment. Seniors and their caregivers/families in need of short-term care.
Support provided: Amenities and services. 24/7 support available at resident’s discretion. 24/7 support from specialized caregivers who understand the needs of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 24/7 support and private respite care apartment, depending on guest’s needs.
Daily activities: Residents have freedom to participate in activities, programs, and events. Residents have freedom to participate in activities, programs, and events. Caregivers plan stimulating programming based on resident needs. Consistent daily routine for familiarity. Guests have full access to all programming, activities, amenities, and events during their stay.
Length of stay: Indefinite. Can transition to another level of living as needs change. Indefinite. Can transition into memory care if needed. Indefinite. A few days to a few weeks, depending on caregiver needs.
Decision maker: Typically, the resident decides to move into independent living for a maintenance-free lifestyle. The resident and/or their family decides if assisted living support is needed. The family and/or caregivers decide that memory support is needed. The caregiver chooses respite care to provide coverage and support.

For more on the differences between assisted living and memory care, check out our blogs on these levels of living here:

What Are the Benefits of Senior Living Communities?

Today’s senior living communities offer more than you may think. While amenities, services, and programs differ from community to community, here are some of the key benefits to look for when evaluating senior living communities:

  • Maintenance-free senior living: Day-to-day home repairs, such as changing light bulbs, and larger repairs, such as fixing appliances, are taken care of for residents.
  • Programming and events: Lectures, social gatherings, dances, etc. managed by activities coordinators, both onsite and in the local community. At JCHC, activities coordinators at Lester Senior Living put together engaging programming beyond your typical game night, such as weekly Shabbat services, unique fitness and movement classes, themed movie nights featuring favorite classics, and live entertainment. Many of the programs at our Jewish Federation Plaza community are created and led by the residents themselves.
  • Services and amenities: From onsite entertainment to personal care and safety, senior living communities today offer a wide variety of amenities to ensure residents feel supported and fulfilled. JCHC’s residences offer housekeeping services, transportation, community lounges and outdoor spaces. Our Village Apartments community in South Orange, NJ has a newly renovated theater. Several of our communities have lending libraries and beauty salons onsite as well.

Lester Senior Living: A Great Choice for All Stages of Aging

Whether you’re planning your upcoming retirement or looking for a place your loved one can receive the support they need, Lester Senior Living is a place to truly belong.

At Lester Senior Living, our full continuum of care means you can enjoy all of our amenities, services, and activities today, with peace of mind knowing you’ll have the support you need for the future. Every door will be open to you, even if your needs look different down the road.

Rooted in Jewish values, Lester Senior Living is a warm, welcoming environment for seniors of all faiths, backgrounds, and walks of life.

What will you find behind “door number one” at Lester Senior Living?

  • An energetic group of seniors waiting for you to join the conversation.
  • A wealth of amenities and services available onsite, so you can take in a local theater production or sign up for a group fitness class.
  • A place where you or your loved ones can truly belong.

Schedule a tour today to visit one of our four outstanding residences and experience our thriving communities in Morris and Essex Counties.

If you have questions or you’d like more information, contact our experienced team today for guidance, advice, and support to help you find the right senior living option for you.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What types of senior living are available at JCHC?

Jewish Community Housing Corporation (JCHC) has four outstanding residences in Essex and Morris County, NJ: 

Absolutely! While we are rooted in Jewish values, our doors are always open to seniors of all faiths, backgrounds, and walks of life. Many of our residents are not Jewish and feel welcomed and included in our community.

Each person’s aging journey is unique, and everyone has different needs. When determining which level of senior living is right for your loved one, ask yourself the following:

  • Is your loved one self-sufficient? Can they comfortably manage activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and continence?
  • Is your loved one safe in your current home? While many older adults say they would like to age-in-place in their current home, they may not be considering any modifications that may need to be made in order to keep them safe and avoid the risk of falls or accidents. These modifications may be costly.
  • Are you concerned for your loved one’s well-being? If they’re not taking their medication or taking the wrong dosage, our team of assisted living caregivers can help manage their medication.
  • Does your loved one seem withdrawn. lonely, or isolated? Being a part of our energetic, welcoming community can help them connect to a sense of purpose and ensure they are frequently socializing through participation in activities and programming.
  • Have their needs become too much for you or your family to handle on your own? Being a full-time caregiver can be overwhelming at times, especially if you’re caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.