Are you looking for a nursing home that will take good care of your loved one in Princeton, New Jersey? This quaint Northeastern town is one of America’s oldest communities. Seniors love the town’s historic buildings and beautiful natural settings. If you’re looking for a small-town nursing home, this is the perfect place for you or your loved one.
For clarification, the term “nursing home” refers to a skilled nursing facility for seniors who have health concerns that require constant supervision and licensed care. As such, it might not be the best choice for elderly residents who don’t need 24-hour medical help and oversight. In this guide, we’ll explain what skilled nursing entails, break down other senior living options such as assisted living and memory care, touch on which options are the most affordable, and discuss what people look for when they talk about nursing homes.
A Place For Mom partners with 14 assisted living and memory care facilities in a 10-mile radius of the downtown Princeton area. These facilities are less focused on immediate medical care and more on supporting seniors and their quality of life. Still, 100% of our partners also offer on-site skilled nursing wings or services, and 93% have hospice available on-site.
As you read, you’ll learn more about the facilities we partner with, payment options, laws and regulations, senior demographics, and more.
My brother has lived here for a number of years. I am happy to say that he has been very happy and well cared for during his stay. The staff has been very friendly and attentive and there have been many...
Facility is a perfect size, small enough to be able to walk around and not too big that it's overwhelming. Staff is very, very, very, friendly. They always seem to know everyone's name and are truly...
I am very pleased overall with Brookdale. The staff is good with the residents and always available to speak with me. My questions are always answered and issues addressed. I was happy to find that almost...
We had a good tour experience with Rose Hill Assited Living. They were a second floor only full care facility. No access to outside unless family takes them out. They were all very friendly people, but we...
I recently moved my parents to CareOne Assisted Living in Hamilton, NJ. I can confidently say after visiting several other facilities, it is one of the best assisted living facilities I have encountered....
I love the services that I get. Everyone is very kind. I've had nothing but great service I would absolutely recommend for people to come here.
I picked this facility because the building and apartments are lovely and the people in charge seem to care deeply about the residents.
I toured several places and I found Juniper to be the best match for my mother. The staff has been more than helpful getting her moved in and acclimated to her new life. When I went on the tour with [name...
My mother passed away at Brandywine last month. The decisions you are facing now about the care of a loved one are difficult and life-changing ones. It is with great gratitude that share my experiences with...
Ciel has been a good choice of assisted living for my husband. I appreciated their assessment and recommendation for level of placement most beneficial for him. There are a variety of activities offered,...
My mother has been here for over a ½ year and loves it! I could go on-and-on about how wonderful this place is. The Activities Dept. is spectacular! And when you live in a place like this, you need an...
It is expensive but the care is completely worth it. Our loved one is safe, secured and well looked after, we have been very impressed with everything since the day we stepped foot into Artis. On the tour...
The staff is amazing. The nurses, the aides, the assistants - everyone! When you push the call bell, someone comes right away. Very attentive and pleasant. Everyone always says hello to me, even the...
Small 16 resident community, that feels more like a group home than an institution, which is a strong positive. Excellent Executive Director. Activities leader brings a lot of positive energy. Staffing is...
The individual rooms at this community were great, however our loved one at one point had a shared room that was separated by fabric which was not all that private. We would recommend this community to...
I need to place my husband in an assisted living facility as a respite stay as I went away on business. He recently just had a knee replacement and I could not leave him alone, he needed around-the-clock...
We developed a proprietary recommendation system that orders Princeton community options based on factors we know are important to seniors and their families:
We collect proprietary data from our network of 14,000+ senior living communities in the U.S., with regular refreshes of data and information
We have 387,000+ reviews from senior living residents and family members that provide first-hand accounts about senior living communities
If you’re looking for a private room in a Princeton nursing home for your loved one, you can expect to pay $11,999 per month [01]. Nursing home costs are much higher because they provide skilled nursing services. Comparatively, the average actual cost of an assisted living facility is $6,617, and the average actual cost of a memory care facility is $6,979, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data. Please note that these figures include all associated add-ons and service fees.
Skilled nursing care usually includes the following services:
Assisted living and memory care facilities have similar offerings, but they feature fewer health care services. At assisted living and memory facilities, your loved one will benefit from these services:
There are several ways that seniors and their families can pay for nursing home care. In this section, we’ll cover financial resources such as private funding, VA benefits, Medicare, and Medicaid.
To privately pay for care in Princeton, seniors have plenty of choices. Income sources that can be used include personal savings, pensions, Social Security benefits, and investment returns. You or your loved one can also utilize any of the following methods:
Veteran benefits aim to cover as many scenarios as possible to honor those who have served their country. So, you or your loved one can use these benefits to pay for a skilled nursing, assisted living, or memory care facility in Princeton.
To start, check to see if your or your loved one is eligible for a VA Pension. Veterans have to meet a certain age requirement and be honorably discharged. If you or your loved one meets the eligibility criteria, then apply for a VA Pension here.
There are other available VA benefits, including the Aid and Attendance benefit. This benefit grants up to $1,794 monthly per individual, $1,153 monthly to a surviving spouse, and $2,127 monthly for couples. It can be used for medical and nonmedical long-term care expenses. For a full list of veteran benefits, check out the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.
Unfortunately, getting approved for veteran benefits can be a long and trying process. If you or your loved one need some support, reach out to one of the many veteran service organizations (VSOs) in Princeton. There is one supported by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs at the Lawrenceville Armory, the county-operated VSO, the Disabled American Veterans VSO, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars VSO.
Resources for Princeton veterans
New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
101 Eggert Crossing Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Phone: 609-530-6892
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Phone: 800-827-1000
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Lawrenceville Armory
151 Eggerts Crossing Road, Room 136
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Phone: 609-671-6697
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Mercer County Department of Veteran Services
1440 Parkside Ave.
Ewing, NJ 08638
Phone: 609-989-6120
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Disabled American Veterans Department of NJ
171 Jersey St., Building 5, 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08611
Phone: 609-396-2885
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of New Jersey
171 Jersey St., Building 5, 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ 08611
Phone: 609-393-1929
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
In New Jersey, Medicaid is called NJ FamilyCare. You can use it to cover skilled nursing health care costs if you or your loved one meets the program’s financial requirements. However, it doesn’t cover room and board costs in nursing homes, and it only pays for skilled nursing in nursing homes because they’re considered institutions.
For assisted living residents, NJ FamilyCare covers all long-term supportive services for seniors in qualifying facilities through a program called Managed Long-Term Support and Services. Additionally, you or your loved one can apply for Medicaid funds to offset the cost of memory care through a special program called Home and Community-Based Waivers.
The New Jersey Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services and the New Jersey Division of Aging Services can help you apply for NJ FamilyCare. You can also review New Jersey’s full administrative code regarding Medicaid here. If you have any queries or complaints regarding the safety, health, and rights of those in skilled nursing, assisted living, or memory care facilities, reach out to the local ombudsman.
Princeton resident Medicaid resources
NJ FamilyCare
1 Monument Drive
Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: 800-701-0710
Hours: Monday and Thursday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
New Jersey Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services
7 Quakerbridge Plaza, Room 306
Trenton, NJ 08619
Phone: 609-588-2600
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
New Jersey Division of Aging Services
3444 Quakerbridge Road
Hamilton Township, NJ 08619
Trenton, NJ 08625-0715
Phone: 877-222-3737
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman
P.O. Box 852
Trenton, NJ 08625-0852
Phone: 877-582-6995
Medicare is a federal health insurance program that doesn’t cover long-term stays in skilled nursing, assisted living, or memory care facilities. However, Medicare can cover costs related to doctor services, medical supplies, and hospital care. To be eligible for Medicare, seniors must be 65 or older and have Social Security Disability benefits. You can apply online by visiting the Social Security Administration website.
Need coverage for medical and social care that supports seniors living with loved ones? Check out Capital Health’s Living Independently for Elders program, a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
If your loved one isn’t eligible for the NJ FamilyCare program, you can apply for the state’s Medicare savings programs, which pay for specific premiums depending on an individual’s income. This includes the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program, the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary, and the Qualifying Individual program. The Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program and the Senior Gold program are also available to help you pay for medication. You can apply for any of these state programs by visiting the NJSave website.
If you need more information, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program can assist with any questions you may have. There’s also the local ombudsman, an organization that can support you with long-term care concerns.
Princeton resident Medicare resources
Trenton Social Security Administration Office
635 S. Clinton Ave.
Trenton, NJ 08611
Phone: 866-964-0026
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
New Jersey Division of Aging Services
3444 Quakerbridge Road
Hamilton Township, NJ 08619
Trenton, NJ 08625-0715
Phone: 800-792-8820
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
NJ Medicare Savings Programs
Phone: 800-792-9745
Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled
Phone: 800-792-9745
Senior Gold
Phone: 800-792-9745
State Health Insurance Assistance Program
Phone: 800-792-8820
New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman
P.O. Box 852
Trenton, NJ 08625-0852
Phone: 877-582-6995
In New Jersey, skilled nursing homes are regulated by the state through the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH). The DOH is responsible for licensing and inspecting nursing homes, assisted living residences, dementia care homes, and room and board homes. It ensures that nursing homes and other long-term facilities meet state and federal criteria when it comes to staffing, rules, finances, equipment, and more.
An inspection is completed before licensing to determine compliance. Once licensed, these facilities receive regular unannounced inspections every two years or whenever a complaint is lodged. Should a facility fall below DOH standards, it can receive a fine or lose its license.
You can visit New Jersey’s DOH page to search for licensed facilities and services. Just enter a city or facility name and narrow down your search. You can also look up New Jersey nursing home deficiency reports by entering a facility’s name in the search bar. If you have any questions about nursing home violations, contact the New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
In order to foster a home-like atmosphere, nursing facilities are commonly single-story buildings with an average capacity of 120 beds in semiprivate and private rooms. These facilities also feature accessible bathrooms, communal dining halls, and public areas for recreation and socialization.
Residents must be individuals who need skilled nursing care on a regular basis by a doctor’s order. For every eight residents, there must be a certified nurse aide for the day shift. There must also be one direct care staff member for every 10 residents for the evening shift and one for every 14 residents for the night shift. Under a 2005 law, nursing homes must publicly report on a quarterly basis how many staff members are involved in direct patient care. The staff-to-resident ratios show the average nurse staffing levels.
The same New Jersey DOH licensing and regulation standards apply to assisted living and memory care facilities. However, communities that accept memory care residents have some additional requirements. For instance, memory care staff members must attend a mandatory dementia training program, and those who work at specialized assisted living facilities must have dementia-specific training.
Additionally, seniors must be screened for cognitive impairments before being admitted to a memory care facility. These facilities aren’t allowed to admit people who are in a persistent vegetative state.
Finally, memory care facilities must be transparent. Family members have a right to know their safety policies, senior activities, criteria for admission and discharge, and all procedures relating to residents.
New Jersey Department of Health
55 N. Willow St.
Trenton, New Jersey, 08625
Phone: 800-367-6543
In 2022, the New Jersey Department of Health switched to level-based guidelines suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for mitigating COVID-19. Generally, people only need to wear masks when they’re diagnosed with COVID-19 or visiting someone who’s vulnerable. Vaccines remain free to everyone but aren’t mandatory.
However, the guidelines are typically more rigid for memory care residents. At many facilities, at-risk individuals and visitors must wear masks, staff members and residents must undergo COVID-19 tests and have their temperatures taken; and staff members must be current with vaccinations and boosters.
The New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub is a great resource for the latest guidelines.
Vaccinations. Staff vaccinations must be up-to-date.
Masking. Masks must be worn by visitors and individuals who are sick.
Facility cleanliness. Centers are regularly sanitized with quality disinfectants.
Quarantining. Residents with Covid-19 must be isolated (with supportive care).
Nursing homes in Princeton are known for providing a secure and supportive environment for seniors with complicated medical needs. Apart from nursing care, such facilities also offer daily living assistance, rehabilitation services, and social and recreational activities that support the well-being of residents.
Although A Place for Mom doesn’t partner with nursing homes, we do partner with 14 assisted living and memory care facilities that may also offer skilled nursing care. Because most seniors only need skilled nursing services in the short term, you may find that another senior living option better fits you or your loved one’s needs.
In facilities that offer skilled nursing services, you or your loved one will benefit from constant supervision and licensed caregivers. This level of care is critical for seniors who have suffered a stroke, surgery, or extensive treatment for health conditions.
In comparison to nursing homes, assisted living facilities are less focused on residents’ health and more on their quality of life. For example, amenities at these types of facilities typically include housekeeping, personal care, meal preparation, social outings, and more. Certain health care services may also be offered, but you should check with each facility to confirm whether or not its services are provided by licensed or unlicensed staff members.
Another option for you or your loved one could be a memory care facility. These facilities are very similar to assisted living communities, but the staff’s training level and provided amenities look a bit different to accommodate residents with dementia. Depending on an individual’s level of independence, they may benefit from a long-term stay at an assisted living or memory care facility.
Some skilled nursing, assisted living, and memory care facilities have admission requirements. For instance, most senior communities have a minimum age of 55, and memory care facilities cannot accept residents who are in a full-time vegetative state.
You’ll also want to consider which payment methods can be used to fund your loved one’s stay. For example, skilled nursing facilities can accept residents without a physician’s signed order, but insurance may not cover the stay unless you have one.
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Princeton offers a few renowned trauma centers and hospitals.
Penn Medicine Princeton Health is a teaching hospital, Level I trauma center, and leader in orthopedics.
A decorated “green energy” hospital, Capital Health Medical Center — Hopewell is a Level II trauma center and one of the best neurology hospitals in the state.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a Level I trauma center, New Jersey’s first pediatric trauma center, and a leader in cancer and gastroenterology care.
In Princeton, about 86% of our partner facilities offer transport to residents. Although some are paid options, most are free. This is a great perk for residents who might have physical limitations that temporarily or permanently prevent them from getting around on their own.
There aren’t any Princeton transportation options designed specifically for seniors with dementia. However, depending on their level of independence, assisted living or memory care residents could utilize public transportation methods with a caregiver or family member. Here is a list of possible options in Princeton:
In Princeton, nursing homes, assisted living, and memory care facilities offer an enriching range of outings and activities for residents. In-house activities can include things like pet therapy, cooking lessons, art classes, music therapy, arts and crafts sessions, gardening, or exercise classes. Generally, visiting family and friends can join in on the fun.
If you’d like to explore Princeton with your loved one, there are some great spots to visit. For instance, the Princeton University Art Museum features free admission, wonderful performances, and thousands of art pieces. The historical Updike Farmstead, which features 19th-century buildings and equipment, is easily accessible for seniors and individuals in wheelchairs. There’s also Grounds for Sculptures, a one-of-a-kind garden where seniors and individuals with disabilities can easily view outdoor artwork.
Princeton also provides many opportunities for assisted living and memory care residents to enjoy a good meal. Local favorites include Blue Point Grill and Witherspoon Grill. No matter your loved one’s independence or mobility level, there is something for everyone in Princeton.
Monmouth Crossing Assisted Living, The Birches at Newtown and Maplewood at Princeton are the top-rated Nursing Homes facilities near Princeton, NJ. These Nursing Homes facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Nursing Homes in Princeton is $6,777 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
Genworth. (2021). Monthly Median Costs: Trenton Area, NJ. Genworth.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran Status (S2101): Princeton, New Jersey [Data set]. QuickFacts.
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Genworth. (2021). Monthly Median Costs: Trenton Area, NJ. Genworth.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran Status (S2101): Princeton, New Jersey [Data set]. QuickFacts.