This webpage will help New Jersey residents understand assisted living, home care, and adult day care costs throughout the state. It also explores the payment options and financial assistance programs available to assist in caring for the elderly, be that in residential care or for aging in place at home.
The programs outlined here are comprehensive of what is available from the state of New Jersey for residents of the state, but is not comprehensive of what is available at a national level. When seeking assistance, it is important you search all avenues to find the most suitable option for your situation. To easily search for assistance nationwide, please use our Resource Locator Tool.
New Jersey Eldercare Costs for 2024
Assisted Living / Memory Care
According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, New Jersey ranks as one of the more expensive states in the nation as far as the cost of assisted living. As of 2024, the national average is $5,350 a month, but in New Jersey, residents pay approximately $2,050 a month more, with the average cost being $7,400 a month.
However, state residents should take some comfort in the fact that the cost is not consistently high everywhere in the state. The least expensive areas include Vineland and Atlantic City. In these areas, the average cost is between $5,608 and $6,099 a month. The most expensive area in the state is Trenton, with a monthly cost of $8,975.
Caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s can further increase the monthly cost of assisted living by 20% to 30% on average.
Home Care
In 2024, per Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, the average statewide cost of home care in New Jersey is $35 an hour. For individuals who need more intensive care than a home care worker provides, the option of home health care is also available. Statewide, on average, this type of caregiving costs approximately $1 more per hour.
Adult Day Care
Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey indicates that even adult day care in New Jersey well exceeds the national average, which, as of 2024, is $95 a day. Throughout the state of New Jersey, the cost of adult day care ranges from $105-$120 a day.
New Jersey Medicaid Financial Assistance Programs
Medicaid Programs & Waivers for the Elderly
Background Information
Many states are changing their long-term care Medicaid programs by replacing their Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers with Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCO), including New Jersey. For the elderly, this means they work with a single administering organization for all their health care services and personal care needs. One of the goals of the switch is to allow for an expansion of the number of people served. MCOs work toward the elimination of the enrollment caps and waiting lists for those wishing to receive care and services outside of nursing homes.
Programs
Under Medicaid Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS), there are no enrollment caps, meaning anyone who is eligible to receive services can do so. Via this program, supports for a variety of services are provided in the home, assisted living, an adult foster care home, or in adult day care. Benefits include home / vehicle modifications, meal delivery, personal emergency response systems, and personal assistance. Program participants are able to self-direct certain home-based supportive care, such as personal assistance and homemaker services. This means they are able to hire the individual of their liking, even spouses. (The Global Options, or GO Waiver, was absorbed into this waiver in 2014.)
Individuals enrolled in Medicaid’s Personal Preference Program (PPP) are able to self-direct their own care. This is a program in which the recipients are provided a cash allowance and the flexibility to spend it as they see fit for their care requirements. Common ways funds are spent are for personal care assistance, assistive technology, and home modifications. It should be noted that a fair amount of counseling is also provided to ensure needs are being met. With this option, individuals are able to hire the care provider of their choosing, including family members.
Medicaid Eligibility
To qualify for NJ Family Care (New Jersey’s Long Term Care Medicaid), an applicant’s functional ability, monthly income, and countable resources are considered. A single individual, as of 2024, can have up to $2,829 a month in income.
An applicant is also permitted countable resources up to $2,000. One’s primary home, up to an equity value of $1,071,000, given the applicant or their spouse lives in it, is considered exempt. In addition, the applicant’s vehicle is not considered a “countable” asset, provided it is in use by the applicant.
Being over the asset limit does not automatically disqualify one from Medicaid. However, one has to proceed with caution, as simply giving away assets or selling them for less than they are worth can result in a period of Medicaid ineligibility. This is because New Jersey has a 5-year look-back period (from the date of Medicaid application) where all asset transfers are considered. If one has gifted assets or sold them cheaply, there will be a period of time that one cannot receive Medicaid benefits.
However, there are ways one can spend down excess resources without violating the look-back period. One can pay off debts, such as their mortgage, or make home modifications that increase the safety and accessibility of their home. Examples include remodeling a bathroom to make it wheelchair accessible, adding a chair lift, and installing wheelchair ramps.
If one is over the income and / or resource limit(s), consulting with a Medicaid Planner is highly recommended. Medicaid professional planners are well trained in restructuring finances in order to meet the Medicaid limits without violating any rules.
New Jersey Non-Medicaid Assistance Programs
New Jersey is one of the states at the forefront of providing assistance to elderly persons that are not eligible for Medicaid. There are five programs of great relevance to seniors: JACC, Statewide Respite Care, Alzheimer’s Adult Day Care, the Senior Gold and PAAD programs, and Congregate Housing Services. Although not all of these programs provide financial assistance, they may offer services that can enable a senior and their family to save money in other areas, thereby allowing more of their resources to be put toward the cost of care.
JACC, or New Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving, provides non-medical, home support services with the objective of helping an elderly person continue to live independently. Benefits may include adult day care, durable medical equipment, personal care, respite care, home modifications, and personal emergency response systems. One may self-direct their care services, meaning they can hire the person of their choosing, including family members.
SRCP, the Statewide Respite Care Program, offers reduced rates or free respite care to help individuals caring for a loved one gain relief from their duties. Respite care is provided in-home or out-of-home. Other services also covered by this program include private duty nursing and homemaker services. For lower income families, this can reduce their out-of-pocket home care costs.
For qualified individuals, the Alzheimer’s Adult Day Care Services Program (AADSP) will cover as much as 100% of the cost of adult day care for up to 5 days a week.
Senior Gold and PAAD (Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled) are both prescription assistance programs that reduce medication costs, the savings from which can be applied toward home care or assisted living.
Congregate Housing Services Program (CHSP) is somewhat similar to assisted living, but is partly state funded. In these residences, services are provided so that seniors can remain living independently. Services may include housekeeping, personal care assistance, and shopping, though services vary based on location.
Non-Elderly Specific
Finally, New Jersey is one of six states that provide compensation to family members who take time off work to care for a loved one. Via this program, one may take up to six weeks of paid time off. Read more on Family Leave Insurance.
PACE Programs in New Jersey
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a joint initiative between Medicare and Medicaid to help seniors get the care and services they need in the community rather than transitioning to a nursing home for care. Because Medicaid differs in each state, PACE eligibility varies between states.
Seniors in New Jersey can receive PACE services such as social work, personalized primary medical care, prescription medication, medical equipment, adult health daycare, in-home care, nutrition assistance through meals, transportation to medical appointments and recreational activities.
To be eligible for PACE benefits in New Jersey, individuals must:
- Be at least 55 years old
- Be eligible for care at a nursing home
- Live in the state’s PACE service areas
- Be able to live safely within their community once enrolled
Seniors who qualify can start the application process through the official websites of the relevant PACE centers in New Jersey.
How To Get Started With PACE in New Jersey
Interested parties can visit the state’s website to learn more about PACE in New Jersey. They’ll get information on eligibility, the range of services offered and the specific ZIP codes served by the various PACE locations. They can also reach out to the individual providers listed below.
Other Financial Options for Care
In addition to the state specific options that help pay for care, there are many non-profit and federal options. Use our Resource Locator Tool to find other programs that help pay for or reduce the cost of care. There are also programs that help veterans with assisted living and there are eldercare loans available in New Jersey.
Finding Affordable Care in New Jersey
The relatively high costs for home care and assisted living in New Jersey make finding the right care provider of great importance. Providers should be selected both on the quality of care they provide and the family’s ability to continue to afford the provider. This is important as most elderly individuals develop an attachment to their caregivers and are resistant to change. For these reasons, we have partnered to offer a free service that assists families in finding the most affordable care in New Jersey and in neighboring areas out of state. Get help here.
Eldercare Financial Assistance Locator
- Discover all of your options
- Search over 400 Programs
Top Cities for Senior Care in New Jersey
For more information about the costs and resources available in New Jersey cities, click on the links below.
Top Cities for Memory Care
Top Cities for Assisted Living
