| Long Term Care Costs in New Jersey Cost of Long-Term Care Continues to Rise, 2008 Survey Finds |
Costs for nursing homes in New Jersey, assisted living facilities
and some in-home care services have risen for the fifth consecutive year and
might continue to rise unless more long-term care workers can be found,
according to a new survey by Genworth Financial.
A private room in a NJ nursing home now costs $76,460 a
year or $209 daily, a 17 percent increase since 2004, Genworth’s 2008 Cost of
Care survey found. A semiprivate room in a nursing home is now $68,408.
The cost of assisted living facilities is shooting up even faster,
having risen 25 percent since 2004 to a current average of $36,090 a year for a
one-bedroom unit. Assisted living costs ranged from a high of $4,921 a month in
New Jersey to a low of $1,981 a month in Arkansas.
While the cost of in-home care by workers who are not certified by
Medicare remained about the same, at an average hourly rate of $18 for
homemaker services and $19 for home health aide services, the cost of a
Medicare-certified home health aide rose to an average $38 an hour.
The survey also priced adult day care for the first time, finding
that the daily cost is averaging $59, or about $15,000 a year for five days a
week of care. Adult day care facilities
provide care and companionship outside of the home and give the elderly a
chance to interact with peers. Sometimes based in a community center, the
facilities can provide social or therapeutic activities and provide supervision
for participants with cognitive problems.
The study, which was conducted by CareScout on behalf of Genworth, surveyed more
than 40,000 providers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia between December 2007
and February 2008.
Genworth Financial sells long-term care insurance policies. The
president of Genworth’s long-term care insurance unit, said the results of the
Cost of Care survey indicate that "the expense of just a few years of long-term
care in a facility or at home can very quickly wipe out a lifetime of savings.”
In a companion report, Genworth says that the nation faces an
impending caregiver shortage that could drive costs even higher.
Fredrick P. Niemann,
Esq., a NJ Elder Law and Medicaid Attorney commented that the Genworth Cost
Survey does not accurately list the scope of assisted living, nursing home and
home health care costs in NJ. Mr.
Niemann advises readers that 24/7 home health care costs range from $140-$220
per day with 8 hours sleep for the caregiver; hourly home health care companies
charge between $16-$22 per hour of care; nursing home care costs $7,500-$11,000
per month; social day care centers cost around $80-$90 per 8 hour day with
assisted living costs ranging from $1,000-$7,500 per month. Northern and central NJ facilities are
generally the highest in the state with southwest NJ and northwest NJ somewhat
lower.
Medicaid
Attorneys serving these New Jersey Counties:
Monmouth County,
Ocean County, Essex County, Cape May County, Mercer
County, Middlesex County, Bergen County, Morris County, Burlington County,
Union County, Somerset County, Hudson County, Passaic County
