Elizabeth is New Jersey’s fourth most populous city, with a population estimated at 135,000 inhabitants and seniors making up 10.7% of that total. Its affordable health care and beneficial sales tax rate make it a good choice for seniors trying to conserve their retirement incomes. The city is also ideal for seniors that want to escape the summer heat with warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters.
Assisted living facilities support seniors who need help with daily living activities such as grooming, food preparation and transportation. Assisted living facilities are geared toward seniors who can no longer live independently but don’t require the intensive, 24-hour care provided in nursing homes. Seniors in the Elizabeth area pay an average of $5,750 per month for assisted living services, which is about 11% lower than the New Jersey median of $6,495.
This guide is an introduction to assisted living in Elizabeth. Learn more about the various monthly care costs, the advantages and disadvantages of retiring in the city and the free resources available for older adults.
Hundreds of thousands of American seniors utilize assisted living, a figure that is only growing. For these seniors, assisted living combines residential housing,assistance in daily activities, and some healthcare. These communities also strive to provide an atmosphere that is comfortable and engaging for their residents… Read More >
COVID-19 restrictions and rules for Assisted Living Facilities are typically set by the state – to see the rules in your state, you can read our guide to Assisted Living in New Jersey. Keep in mind that there may be other policies that communities put in place to protect their residents, so you should contact your local community for more information. Additionally, you can contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn more – find contact information here.
The cost of assisted living care in Elizabeth is an average of $5,750 per month, but the amount can vary according to the location, amenities and services offered by assisted living communities.
Assisted living care in Elizabeth is $745 lower than New Jersey’s average cost but $1,250 more than the national average of $4,500.
There is a marked difference between the assisted living costs of New Jersey’s largest cities. Newark, slightly northeast of Elizabeth, shares an assisted living care cost of $5,750. On the northwestern end of the state, Phillipsburg charges the region’s lowest care cost of $4,784 per month. New Brunswick and Trenton share New Jersey’s highest costs of $8,145. Further south, on New Jersey’s border with Pennsylvania, Camden has a care median of $5,685, while Vineland charges $6,400 for assisted living care. On the east coast, Atlantic City charges $5,807 per month for care services.
Since not everyone can afford to pay for assisted living out-of-pocket, it’s important to find alternative methods to help make assisted living more affordable. Some of these options include:
For more information about your options for making assisted living more affordable, visit our guide to Assisted Living in New Jersey.
Resource | Contact | Service |
The City of Elizabeth Office on Aging | (877) 222-3737 | Area Agencies on Aging serve as the central source of information on long-term care services and programs. These agencies are also responsible for delivering services to older adults and their caregivers, administering the funds from the Older Americans Act and advocating to improve the public’s understanding of senior citizens. |
New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman | (877) 582-6995 | New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman independently advocates for seniors in long-term care facilities and assists them in resolving any issues they face as residents of assisted living communities. The organization also strives to bring about change in policy and legislature on local, state and federal levels. |
Elizabeth VA Clinic | (908) 994-0120 | The Elizabeth VA Clinic offers VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits through monthly payments added to VA pensions. Veterans and survivors qualify by requiring assistance with the activities of daily living, being bed-bound due to illness, or living in a nursing home due to loss of mental or physical abilities from a disability. |
Central Jersey Legal Services | (908) 354-4340 | Central Jersey Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal assistance in civil cases for seniors and low-income residents of Union, Mercer and Middlesex Counties. The types of legal cases that the firm handles include power of attorney, guardianships, wills and nursing homes and other health care cases. |
Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled | (800) 792-9745 | The Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program is a state-funded program that assists older adults in saving money on their prescription medications. To be eligible for the program, individuals must be New Jersey residents aged 65 years and over. |
Assisted Living Facilities in the Elizabeth area are required to follow a set of rules and regulations that are determined at the state level. For an overview of those rules and regulations, see the information below. For more specific information, talk with your local community or Area Agency on Aging.