10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Princeton, NJ

Assisted living facilities build care costs into their monthly room and board fee. You or a loved one can fund an assisted living stay through private payments, VA benefits, Medicare, and Medicaid. In the following sections, you’ll learn more about each type of payment method.

In New Jersey, the Department of Health (DOH) licenses assisted living facilities. It inspects three types of facilities in particular: assisted living residences (which are purpose-built residences), comprehensive personal care homes (which are converted residential boarding homes), and assisted living programs (which include any agencies that offer services to seniors in publicly subsidized housing).

Assisted living residences and comprehensive personal care homes are inspected prior to licensing and thereafter every two years. Should a facility fall below DOH standards or perform poorly during a complaint investigation, it could lose its good standing.

You can visit New Jersey’s DOH page to search licensed facilities and services or visit our resource page to learn more about New Jersey’s assisted living regulations and records.

There are other relevant laws and regulations pertaining to assisted living. We’ve listed some of the most important ones below:

• There are no limits to the number of residents that can be served in assisted living facilities.
• Facilities can offer suitable arrangements to those with a range of frailties as long as they are independent; those incapable of responding to their environment cannot be placed in assisted living.
• Assisted living residences and comprehensive personal care homes may serve the terminally ill at home who lack other adequate caregiving options.
• They must, at minimum, provide assistance with health care, personal care, nursing, pharmacy services, transportation, and recreation.
• All three licensed settings with 60 beds or more must have a full-time administrator on-site, and a registered nurse must always be available on call or present on-site.
• Staff must be adequately qualified. For example, a dietitian must advise on meal-related matters, a designated pharmacist must handle medication, and assistants must be certified nurse aides or certified homemaker health aides.
• Residences must be apartment-like units with a private kitchenette, bathroom, and lockable door.
• A maximum of two residents may occupy a unit.
• Assisted living residences are also required to have an outbreak response plan, perform annual preparedness drills, and appoint staff that is trained in infection control.

New Jersey Department of Health
55 N. Willow St.
Trenton, New Jersey, 08625
Phone: 800-367-6543

COVID-19 regulations for Princeton assisted living facilities

The New Jersey Department of Health continues to follow the guidelines stipulated by the Centers for Disease Control based on county COVID-19 levels. In general, masks only need to be worn when diagnosed with COVID-19 or when visiting a vulnerable person. Vaccines are free to everyone but not mandatory at this time.

New Jersey’s COVID-19 Information Hub is a great resource if you want to get more information about pandemic guidelines.

Princeton is a popular choice for seniors looking to retire at an assisted living community. The historic town offers a variety of notable sites, entertainment options, and recreational activities. You or your loved one will enjoy the comfort and support that comes along with assisted living accommodations while still maintaining as much independence as possible.

Senior living options in Princeton

Within 10 miles of Princeton, A Place for Mom partners with 11 assisted living facilities. Some of these communities offer more than one senior living option. This may be especially valuable to you or your loved one if you’re looking for a range of supportive care.

Here are our available senior living options:

• One stand-alone assisted living facility
• Ten combination assisted living and memory care facilities

There are another 52 facilities available at the 25-mile mark if you’re looking for a community a little farther from town. Here is a breakdown of the communities we partner with:

• 8 stand-alone assisted living facilities
• 29 combination assisted living and memory care facilities
• 2 combination assisted living and independent living facilities
• 13 combination assisted living, memory care, and independent living facilities

Unique features of Princeton assisted living communities

If you have special dietary needs, many of the assisted living communities in Princeton can accommodate you. For instance, according to our proprietary data, 82% of our partner facilities have vegetarian meals available as well as low- or no-sodium options. Additionally, 64% of facilities have an on-site café or bistro, and 82% have a happy hour. All of these fun additions make Princeton’s communities great places for foodies.

Services and amenities at assisted living facilities

Facility options range from luxury apartments to subsidized units that can be fully private or semiprivate. Amenities often include housekeeping, laundry, assistance with personal care, healthy meals, 24-hour emergency response, and social outings and activities.

Depending on your budget, there are some upscale communities that offer additional conveniences. For instance, a facility may have an in-house salon, barber shop, movie theater room, arts and crafts space, and more.

Health care for seniors in Princeton

Princeton is the proud home of several first-class medical centers and hospitals.

Transportation for seniors in Princeton

So, how suitable is the town’s transportation system? The good news is that Princeton offers a wide variety of accessible options that cater to every level of physical mobility.

At our partner facilities, 91% of communities provide complimentary transportation, and 46% provide at-cost options. You or your loved one can also benefit from the many different transit methods in Princeton. Here are some of the possible options:

• Tiger Transit, Princeton University’s free public transport system, provides boarding assistance for seniors and individuals in wheelchairs.
• The Princeton Municipal Transit Bus is another free public transport system.
• NJ Transit gives seniors discounted prices for train, bike, or bus transportation.
• Access Link offers curb-to-curb services for those with disabilities. Click here to apply for eligibility.
• Click-N-Ride is a pick-up and drop-off service. Call 800-488-1219 for details.
• Crosstown transports seniors who are 65 years old and individuals with disabilities. Register with the Princeton Senior Resources Center by calling 609-751-9699.
• NJ E-Z Pass provides seniors with discounts on New Jersey road tolls.
• ​​EZ Ryde4Life transports older adults via rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft. The annual membership fee is $15, and each ride costs $1, but costs are waived for people in the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program.
• GoGoGrandparent provides seniors with 24/7 ridesharing and delivery.
• Senior Services of Greater Princeton use private cars to take seniors to their medical appointments within a ten-mile radius of the city’s center.
• Transportation Resources to Aid the Disadvantaged and Elderly offers free transportation assistance to seniors as well as individuals who are disabled or low-income.

According to Walk Score, Princeton has a walking score of 77 and a biking score of 88. These scores are graded on a scale of one to 100 and determined by several factors, including how pedestrian-friendly routes are and how close amenities are in the city.