10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Amherst, MA

Amherst, Massachusetts

Assisted Living

Assisted living communities administer care, social interaction, and supervision to persons around 65 years of age or older. The services provided often involve help with the activities of daily life. Occupants may be kept under supervision and assessment. In certain instances, communities may offer Alzheimer’s care, “aging in place”, or respite. In Massachusetts, the annual median cost for an assisted living community is around $67,680 . Massachusetts has a number of provisions related to this type of community. The Executive Office of Elder Affairs certifies this type of community. Staff are required to obtain education in a number of subjects. These include: communication skills, Review of the aging process, Communicable diseases, and elder abuse and neglect. This community type has a number of provisions pertaining to medication assistance. These provisions include observing residents while they take the medication, reading the medication label to residents, and opening containers and pre-packaged medications. This community has a number of provisions concerning food and diet which include qualified dietitian must counsel residents regarding therapeutic diets and other dietary issues, communities must use daily recommended dietary allowances as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, communities must provide up to three regularly scheduled meals daily, and a qualified dietitian must review the residence’s dietary plans at least every 6 months. This type of community is required to have a staff member on duty 24 hours a day. There must be one bath or shower for every 1 residents and one toilet for every 1 residents. Public assistance is available through Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver program. Before a resident is accepted, they must go through a service plan screening to guarantee their needs are going to be met. This screening includes a number of areas of interest such as assessment of residents need for assistance in emergency situations, assessment of the individual’s needs and preferences, a comprehensive mental and physical assessment, and assessment of allergies and dietary needs. This type of community is required to offer a number of services. These include timely assistance with urgent or emergency needs, management of self-administered prescription or over-the-counter medications, assistance with activities of daily living , and assistance with instrumental activities of daily living.

Cost of Living

Cost of living is a major factor when choosing what care choice fits best. Amherst has a median home value of around $349,353 and the median cost of rent is around $1,562 per month. The rent burden for Amherst is around 17.4% of the average person’s monthly income.

Demographics and Values

In Amherst, 1.8% of the people are veterans. Racially, the population of Amherst is 75.8% white, 6.1% Hispanic, 12.9% Asian, 6.1% black, 0.1% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.0% other or not specified, 3.6% mixed race, and 0.6% Native American. Amherst has a population density of 557 people per square mile. The current population of Amherst consists of 39,880 people. In terms of education, 42.3% have a graduate degree, 11.9% have a high-school diploma, and 66.7% have a college degree. In Amherst, 33.2% live in poverty, 3.2% do not have health insurance, 56.5% participate in the labor force, and 2.1% are widows. Out of the total city population, 50.1% are female and 49.9% are male. The median age of Amherst is 21 years old.

State Information

An overview of Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts has 78 hospitals and 129 health centers, providing care to a population of 6,941,273. The top three hospitals in the state are considered to be Cape Cod Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and New England Baptist Hospital. The state of Massachusetts has a cost of living index of 133.8 where a score of 100 is the national average, and anything above 100 is considered more expensive than the average. The state has a grocery index rating of 113.9 and a housing index rating of 170.3. In terms of personal well-being, Massachusetts ranks 2nd in healthcare and 8th in quality of life compared to other states. Residents of Massachusetts enjoy its natural beauty which ranks 26th in the United States.

Social demographics of the state

The state of Massachusetts ranks 16th in the country for diversity and the state is considered very LGBTQ friendly. In Massachusetts, 23% of the population attend some form of religious service and there are 4,200 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-9%, Mainline Protestant-10%, and Historically Black Protestant-2%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-3%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%. In Massachusetts there are 27 masonic lodges. In the most recent presidential election, 33% of Massachusetts residents voted Republican and 60% voted Democrat. The state has a median age of 39 and 30% of its population being over the age of 55.

State-wide weather information

On average, Massachusetts has an air quality index rating of around 38.9 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of May with a rating of around 47.5 AQI. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 28F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 45F during the month of January. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 7F in the month of December. During the summer, the average temperature in Massachusetts is around 68F. The average high summer temperature is around 85F in the month of July. In the summer, the average low temperature drops to around 50F during the month of June. The average monthly precipitation for the state of Massachusetts is around 4.04 inches. The average amount of precipitation peaks during the month of May at around 6.10 inches. Massachusetts experiences an average humidity rating of about 71%. The highest monthly average humidity rating is 71% in the month of December. While residents of Massachusetts mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Massachusetts can include hurricanes, earthquakes (moderate), and and tornadoes.

Wildlife to be found in Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of Eastern Red Cedar, Sycamore, White Spruce, and Eastern Hemlock. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the Bobcats, the Lanceleaf Coreopsis, the Cutleaf Coneflower , or the White Pine. The state animal of Massachusetts is the Woodchucks.