Homes away from home
Alliance Adult Living
1036 Pennsylvania Ave., Matamoras, PA
570-409-3198
www.allianceadultliving.com
Type: Assisted Living
Conveniently located just off I-84 and indeed, the Alliance Senior Home is virtually neighbors with the Pennsylvania Welcome Center—an apt coincidence given how
Alliance warmly welcomes seniors with a wide range of needs to join their assisted living community.
There is no judgement or shame here, rather an open-hearted offer of assistance, be it eating and drinking; getting in and out of bed; bowel and bladder management; bathing; hygiene; making doctor’s appointments and maintaining a medication regimen; doing laundry; arranging transportation; communicating via phone, letter, or email; and participating in social and recreational activities. Both private and shared rooms are available according to one’d preference and budget.
The idea for Alliance dates back to January 2013, when Georgina Miner, AAL’s owner and administrator, was working for other assisted living and nursing home facilities. Miner recalls seeing a resident’s wife crying in her husband’s room, and when Miner went to comfort the woman, she explained how she could no longer afford the situation financially and that she had no choice but to take her partner home and care for him there.
It was after this sorrowful encounter that Miner first thought about starting her own personal care home. Taking on extra hours and double shifts, Miner was able to save enough money to start AAL, which she reckons to be not just the most affordable care facility in Matamoras but one where compassion and respect are paramount.
Though their social media presence (Facebook) is only intermittent, rest assured that Alliance—and its owner, Georgina Miner, are as the old jazzmen would declare of something authentic quality, is “the real breadstick.”
Barn Hill Care Center
249 High Street, Newton, NJ
973-383-5600
www.completecarebarnhil.com
Type: Rehabilitation, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Memory Care, Hospice Care
Located just off Route 94 / High Street, and literally next door to the Newton Medical Center, the Barn Hill Care Center’s offers 145 beds capable of accommodating a wide range senior needs in Sussex County and beyond.
If “complete care” sounds like an exaggeration, even a partial list of Barn Hill’s services suggests otherwise, as residents avail themselves of long and short-term care; memory care; respiratory care; renal care; cardiac care; wound care and eventually, if needed, hospice care and palliative services. Barn Hill also has programs for orthopedic rehab; subacute rehab; physical, occupational and speech therapies; and orthotic and prosthetic care. Respite care is often available too.
If this seems overwhelming, that’s understandable, but Barn Hill is more than “just” a place for this or that medical treatment, important as that is. Healthy dining, jovial socialization and a full menu of organized cultural, educational, physical and other activities are intrinsic to residents lives as well.
Barn Hill maintains an active Facebook account which provides candid, often inspiring, pictures of life at and outside the facility. Among its recent postings: an American flag festooned Labor Day party; movie night featuring the 1961 Elvis Presley vehicle, Blue Hawaii (with 36-year-old Angela Lansbury playing the 26-year-old Elvis’ mother); the creation of a giant jumbo puzzle for Art Appreciation Month; celebrations of National Lemonade Day and Barn Hill Administrator Joseph’s birthday; and, for those who like to show a little skin, the application of temporary flower and butterfly tattoos. Look out—they might be a gang!
Belle Reve Senior Living
404 East Harford Street, Milford, PA
570-257-2011
www.bellereveseniorliving.com/senior-living/pa/milford/about-us
Type: Assisted Living, Memory Care
Tucked away on a block just steps from the Delaware River, with Log Tavern Brewing, Waterwheel Guitars, and Ethel Barckley Memorial Park all nearby, Belle Reve Senior Living offers senior care of a quality commensurate with its wondrous setting.
Part of the Heritage Senior Living group headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, with other facilities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia, Belle Reve provides two distinct forms of service: Personal Care, which covers a wide range of assisted living needs, and Memory Care, which deals with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related and memory loss. Reflecting their efforts to creat a home-like atmosphere, Belle Reve describes these two areas as “neighborhoods.”
For residents in the Personal Care neighborhood, Belle Reve’s fees cover rent and all utilities save phone and cable; 24 hour personal care; medication management; three meals a day; activity programs; housekeeping and linen; maintenance and repairs; and transportation services.
Both the Personal Care and Memory Care programs allow residents to Age in Place—an important consideration given the value that familiarity and friendship brings.
With the goal of keeping residents socially and mentally active, Belle Reve offers a constant stream of exercise and healthy living programs, movies, music, gardening and art projects to participate in.
An exceptionally active Facebook showcases a summer that included a trip to Resorts World Catskills, with seniors smiling in a slot machine’s glow; an in-house event with Traveling Poker Academy; high spirited photos of custom t-shirt wearing resident named Bob; pasta night; baking; even an Elvis impersonator, proving that like the King, Belle Reve Milford is TCB—taking care of business!
Bentley Assisted Living at Branchville
3 Phillips Road, Branchville, NJ
973-554-3506
Type: Assisted Living, Memory Care
Rates: Assisted Living, $5400 to $7000/month; Memory Care $8400 to $10,000/month.
A few quick turns off Route 206 and close by Lake Culver, Bentley Assisted Living at Branchville opened around 15 years ago and is currently managed by the Kaplan Development Group. The property is nestled in the heart of Branchville with beautiful mountain views. They were awarded first place for the 2024 Community’s Choice Awards in the category of Best Assisted Living/Senior Living.
There are three different studios to choose, ranging in size and layout.
The services that Bentley Assisted Living at Branchville offer are 24/7 personal care services and nursing staff. The personal care staff can help assisted living residents with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, mobility, restroom activities, transfers, hygiene and grooming. Personal care staff for memory care can also assist with eating as well as the daily activities. The monthly rate also includes individualized wellness service plans, regular health assessments, daily light housekeeping, weekly laundry service, weekly deep clean housekeeping service and scheduled transportation.
Memory care offers a senior living lifestyle for residents experiencing memory and cognitive health issues. They offer different levels of care and medication management that can be added on.
Doctors and specialists make on-site visits so residents do not have to travel outside the facility for doctor appointments.
All meals are included in the monthly rates. Residents can enjoy three meals per day, which are served restaurant-style in the dining room, and they can be catered to all diets and restrictions. There are two main choices for lunch and dinner, but residents can also choose from a menu.
There is currently a waitlist for assisted living, but memory care has availability. However, that can change. “I try to tell families and loved ones to pre-plan and not wait for an emergency,” said Christine Beckmann, director of community relations.
Bentley Assisted Living at Branchville has various activities scheduled to keep residents busy including exercise classes, social events such as the root beer float social, movies, salon onsite, live entertainment, in-person religious services, bingo and hands-on crafts such as clay art and a planting group. There are also friend and family events and community service events. Bentley Assisted Living have bus trips to Walmart and other places such as their recent trip to the New Jersey State Fair.
There is an Alzheimer support group that meets every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for families, friends, and anyone in the public in need of support.
Bentley Assisted Living at Branchville tries to take the time to get to know their residents. Beckmann said their motto is “We treat our residents like family.”
Bristol Glen –a UMC Community (United Methodist Communities)
200 Bristol Glen Drive, Newton, NJ
973-300-5788
www.umcommunities.org
Type: Continuing Care Retirement Community, Memory Care
Located right off Route 206 just before or right after one passes The Sizzle BBQ Argentian Steak House, the first thing one notices about Bristol Glen is that it’s big: two large buildings set on 74 verdant acres. One of the buildings, Metcalf Woods, is for Independent Living, and offers nine different one and two-bedroom floorplans, most named with a local flavor: Andover, Sparta, Newton. Residents of the other building, Tice Pavilion, have five floor plans to choose from their Assisted Living and Memory Care needs.
With Bristol Glen’s structure as Continuing Care Retirement Community, a resident may start out in one area and move to another their care requirements change. To forestall or ease these transitions, Bristol Glen offers rehabilitative services such as occupational, physical, respiratory and speech therapy. When necessary, Bristol Glen can provide hospice and palliative care also.
As for assisted living, you name it, Bristol Glen can most likely handle it: meal plans with either communal or room service dining; apartment cleaning and maintenance services; help with personal care, hygiene, technology, medication management. There’s also an onsite gym, hair salon, convenience store and post office.
Beyond what Bristol Glen can do for its residents today, its history is quite unusual, dating back to 1907, when United Methodist Communities (UMC) was founded, and its first home, “Monmouth Methodist Episcopal Home for the Aged” opened in Ocean Grove, New Jersey.
A century of twists and turns later came to acquire Bristol Glen, which it operates as a faith-based non-profit, though one need not be a Methodist to live there.
Bristol Glen keeps an active Facebook account. Recent highlights include a Hawaiian-themed Labor Day Luau; and a trio of healthful agrarian trips to the nearby Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford, New Jersey; the hereford-raising Grass Pond Farm in Greendell; and Newton’s own Windy Brow Farms. Inspired?
As the ancient Greek poet and farmer Hesiod wrote: “Let it please thee to keep in order a moderate-sized farm, that so that thy garners may be full of fruits in their season.”
The Carlucci Home for Assisted Living Ladies
516 Mullock Road, Port Jervis, NY
845-355-7700
www.carluccihome.com
Type: Age in place Assisted Living
When you talk about a home away from home, no place—no family surname—embodies that idea more than Carlucci. Indeed, it’s quite likely that when one calls the Carlucci Home, that its founder—who is also a Registered Nurse—Jennie Carlucci will answer the phone herself. Time permitting, she might also inquire about the caller and offer them her own well-wishes. Whether one is a Senior Living reporter or making a care inquiry for a loved one, such immediate warmth is both welcome and disarming.
Located near I-84 just a few miles outside downtown Port Jervis and surrounded by the lush, natural splendor the area is famed for, including the Huckleberry Ridge State Forest, the family owned and operated, the Carlucci Home is an assisted living home for women over 40-year-old, though its residents are most often quite older. Rooms are private or semi-private, and generally priced lower than that of corporate senior homes. Of Carlucci Home’s 23 beds, 19 allow residents “Age in Place,” which can sometimes obviate the need for a specifically skilled nursing residence.
Carlucci Home serves three meals a day, has snacks at request, many activity programs, laundry, housekeeping at medical services. It’s gorgeous rear patio with woods behind it is a delight in all seasons.
Carlucci home hasn’t participated in Facebook or other social media updates for some years. Though some might view this with suspicion, it’s a testament to an enterprise that thrives on word-of-mouth recommendation, and whose passion goes towards the people who are there before them, this very moment.
Said the the granddaughter of one resident: “My grandma lived at Carlucci Homes for many years and honestly I couldn’t imagine a better place. Nana was a clean freak and the minute we got there I knew she would be in a great place. It was clean, warm, and friendly.”
The Chelsea at Sparta
513 Lafayette Road, Sparta, NJ
973-437-5400
www.chelseaseniorliving.com/locations/the-chelsea-at-sparta
Type: Assisted Living, Memory CarePrice: Starting price for a private apartment in Assisted Living is $6,960/month; Companion Suites in Memory Care start at $9,600/month
The Chelsea at Sparta, which opened in October 2020 and is part of Chelsea Senior Living. There are 60 apartments in the building for assisted living and memory care residents. The assisted living apartments consist of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. Memory care have companion suites, which are two-bedroom apartments that residents share the common space and bathroom, but have their own bedroom. Residents are responsible for furnishing the apartment themselves, except the microwave and refrigerator are supplied by The Chelsea at Sparta.
Assisted Living pricing includes amenities such as 24/7 professional services, utilities, weekly housekeeping, three meals per day, laundry and linen service, daily social calendar, on-site maintenance personnel and themed parties.
The memory care amenities are similar, with the addition of the specific memory-related programs and therapies.
Executive Director Meagan Minutolo explained that they assess each resident upon moving in to find out what assistance is needed and choose the right accommodations. If the resident doesn’t need assistance until later, they can assist them with the transition.
“It’s a very customizable care plan,” explained Minutolo.
When someone moves in, resident ambassadors show them around and introduce them to the other residents. There is a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of their door welcoming them to their new home. The new resident also receives a welcome basket when they arrive.
The dining room serves breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant-style with wait staff and wine is offered during dinner time.
The Chelsea at Sparta has a movie theater, Roger’s Nook, Herb’s Lounge, a tearoom with refreshments that is replenished every morning, puzzle room, activity room, hair salon and a library.
They have many different activities for residents to participate in. They recently held a senior field day celebrating the Olympics. They have a Happy Hour every day at Roger’s Nook or on the patio, weather-permitting. They have various trips including shopping, lunch trips, New Jersey State Fair, casino and going down the shore.
There is also a country store onsite that carries basic items.
Complete Careat Milford Manor
69 Maple Road, West Milford, NJ
973-697-5640
www.ccmilfordmanor.com
Type: Rehabilitation, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Memory Care, Hospice Care
Nestled amid abundant trees not far from Echo Lake and the Norvin Green State Forest among other local splendors, Complete Care at Milford Manor is a s 120-bed skilled nursing home that provides a wide range of rehabilitation and other care services.
Indeed, the “complete” part of their name isn’t just rhetoric, as Milford Manor residents avail themselves long and short term care; memory care; respiratory care; renal care; cardiac care; wound care and, if necessary, hospice care and palliative services. There also programs for orthopedic rehab; subacute rehab; physical, occupational and speech therapies; and orthotic and prosthetic care. Respite care is often available too.
That’s a lot to take in life at Milford Manor is more than “just” rehab, important as that is. Nutritious dining, socialization and a diverse panoply of organized cultural, educational, physical and other activities are play a central part in residents lives.
Milford Manor maintains an active Facebook account which provides up to the moment glimpses of its residents’ activities. Among the highlights of the past summer were photos taken during National Selfie Day (June 21); the 65th wedding anniversary of two residents, Sharon and Dave, who met in Hawthorne, New Jersey in 1959;
a variety of Independence Day events, including the crafting of American flags—
Christmas In July (also the title of a brilliant 1940 Preston Sturges movie), the 100th birthday of resident centenarian Mary; and, during the Art Appreciation month of August, the creation of a hand-colored jumbo jigsaw puzzle.
Delaware Valley Personal Care Center
109 Rivers Edge Drive, Matamoras, PA
570-491-1002
Type: Assisted living, Skilled Nursing, short and long-term
rehabseniorhealthpa.com/delaware-valley-personal-care-center
Located just off I-84 across from the historic Pine Grove Cemetery with the Delaware River and Pennsylvania Welcome Center both just over yonder, the Delaware Valley Personal Care Residence (DVPCR) offers seniors superlative personal care and rehabilitation in a modern, luxury setting.
The quality of DVPCR comes as no surprise, it’s part of Senior Health Care Solutions, a Scranton, Pennsylvania-based company whose principals, Michael P. Kelly and Susan Keefer, who have developed more than 25 long-term care centers across the region over the last three decades.
Built in 2020, DVPCR strives to create a home-like atmosphere including a restaurant style dining room, ample social activities and housekeeping. Additionally, residents can avail themselves on-site physician, podiatry, lab and x-ray services; and daily pharmacy deliveries. There are also on-site on-site beautician and barber services and all rooms feature television with DirectTV and emergency call systems.
DVPCR’s staff Wellness Team includes physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, physical therapist, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, audiologists and dieticians. – as well as social workers for mental health.
As for nursing services, they too are abundant thanks to their next door sister company, Delaware Valley Skilled Rehab and Nursing, whose practice includes cardiac recovery; digestive disease; orthopedic recovery; short and long-term rehabilitation; restorative therapy; wound care; physical therapy; and infusion therapy. Respite care is also available for home caretakers needing a temporary break from their duties.
Their Personal Care Service includes personal hygiene; daily living and social and recreational activities; dining; laundry and cleaning service; medication monitoring; therapy; and transportation.
DVPCR’s maintains an intermittently updated Facebook account gives a sense of the rhythm and joys of resident life. Among the highlighted events this past year were a St. Patrick’s Day celebration; Easter (“Thank you for all you for my Dad! Proof that angels walk this earth!” commented one woman) and their second annual luau with leis and Hawaiian shirts in abundance. Aloha!
Glen Arden (The Knolls at Goshen)
214 Harriman Dr., Goshen, NY
845-360-1469
glenardenny.com
Type: Continuing Care Retirement Community; Independent and Assisted Living; Skilled Nursing
Along with harness racing and the popular Legoland theme park just down the road, Glen Arden is among Goshen’s greatest attractions for seniors 62 and over and their families.
Glen Arden defines itself as a CCRC—a Continuing Care Retirement Community. This is another way of saying “age in place,” a practice which allows a person to live in a residence of their choosing for as long as they’re medically able. Later, as circumstances and needs change, they switch to an assisted living or skilled nursing environment while remaining in the same larger community.
Glen Arden offers six different one and two-bedroom floor plans, each with fully equipped kitchens, washer and dryer, individual thermosats, life alert systems, patios with screen doors or balconies and large windows.
Among Glen Arden’s many amenities are maintenance-free living—housekeeping, linen service, snow removal, medication deliver, a library, business center, billiards room, arts and crafts studio including a woodworking shop keep residents sharp and engaged. There’s also a Curves fitness center and an indoor pool.
Understanding the great emotional and companion value of having animal friends, Glen Arden is pet friendly include dogs under 25 pounds; indoor cats; and a variety of reptiles, birds and fish.
Glen Arden maintains an active Facebook account. Among recent highlights an jazz concert by the Swing Vipers, a group which features two guitars, bass and clarinet; a remarkable photo of the cardio drumming class; graceful Melanie from the Orange County Office for the Aging leading a “Bingosize” session (Bingo with a mix of exercise); an Olympics celebration with Director of Activities Ro carrying a replica torch and the same Ro donning various costumes in a July 4 celebration which included a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center
129 Morris Turnpike, Newton, NJ
973-948-5400
homesteadrhcc.com
Type: Skilled Nursing Facility, Long Term Care
Rates (Per Day): Private rooms $400, semi-private rooms $350
Nestled next to a pond with a tree farm right behind it, Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, whose sister property is Valley View Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, was purchased from the County of Sussex in 2012. The facility is a 128-bed skilled nursing and long-term care facility. The rooms are either private or semi-private rooms. There are also Medicaid and Medicare rooms available. Meals, linens, laundry and hygiene products are included in the room rates.
There is no waiting list at this time for Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center.
Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center monthly activities calendar offers a variety of groups and 1:1 programs such as exercise, live music, cooking club, social events, pet therapy, arts & crafts and iN2L interactive computer device.
Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center services include skilled nursing care, cardiologist on staff, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreation therapy, restorative therapy, post-surgical care, pain management, among others.
There is a hairdresser onsite once a week and the prices vary depending on the service being done.
Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center has a physical and occupational therapy gym, the Grandview Pavilion, which offers state of the art equipment to help patients be prepared when they get home. Although it has the traditional therapy equipment in the gym, it also has a full-size kitchen, bathroom, laundry area, and a full-size car inside the physical therapy room. The car helps patients practice car transfers, the therapy bathroom allows patients to practice getting in and out of a bathtub, and the kitchen and laundry area allow patients to practice daily activities such as meal prep, cooking and laundry. The Grandview Pavilion is the first facility in Sussex County to provide private rooms with private showers and bathrooms in each room. Bedrooms have cable television, telephones, iPads/tablets and personalized oxygen.
“Choose Homestead for excellent care in scenic Sussex County,” said Adriane Leyman, director of recreation.
Homestead Rehabilitation & Health Care Center’s motto is the next best thing to being cared for at home.
Knoll Communities
39 Trapasso Drive, Sparta, NJ
973-729-4311
www.knollcommunities.org
Type: Affordable Senior Housing, Assisted Living
Tucked away on 15 gorgeous acres just a few turns off either Main Street or Sparta Avenue with the majestic waters of Lake Mohawk nearby, Knoll Communities is a notable success story in Sussex County senior living. Indeed, Knoll—founded in 1974 by the Sparta Ecumenical Council on Senior Citizen Housing and formerly known as Knoll Properties— identified the area’s needs for low and moderate income senior housing so well, they are not just fully occupied at press time, even their waitlist is full!
While this removes Knoll from immediate consideration, they are well worth keeping in mind for one’s future needs, as their waitlist has opened before—most recently being this past spring— and surely will again.
Though Knoll hasn’t been updating their Facebook account this year, scrolling back to the summer of 2022, one finds the inspiring story of feisty Knolls resident Laura Duerr.
Then in her early 60s, Duerr, a widow who lost her beloved husband 7 1/2 years earlier, achieved a goal she’d had for 30 years—to parachute out of an airplane.
After training for six months at the Sussex County YMCA and slimming down by 50 pounds, Duerr did it, leaping from an altitude of 14,000 feet with a tandem skydiving instructor named Kyle.
Said the strong, fit and elated Duerr afterwards. “The whole time I was planning and preparing for this jump, I kept telling everybody, ‘I’m going to have a tall, good-looking guy strapped to my back!’ They’re like, ‘What if it’s a woman?’ I’m like, ‘It’s a deal breaker. I don’t know if I’m looking forward more to having a guy on my back or jumping out of the plane!”
Mira Vie at West Milford
197 Cahill Cross Road, West Milford, NJ
973-728-6000
miravieseniorliving.com/communities/mira-vie-at-west-milford
Type: Independent and Assisted Living, Memory Care
Nestled amid the rugged hills, woods and lakes that make this part of New Jersey so delightful, Mira Vie at West Milford offers a dynamic range of senior living options to southern Passaic County, neighboring Morris County and beyond. Mira Vie’s corporate headquarters is in Freehold, New Jersey, with thirteen locations, including West Milford, across the Garden State
Broadly, Mira Vie is geared towards four types of residents: include independent living, assisted living, memory care and respite care, all in an apartment-style, maintenance-free environment. For independent living, Mira Vie offers five different floor plans. For assisted living, there are two: a private studio and a companion suite.
Independent doesn’t mean totally on your own, of course. There’s an on-site fitness center, beauty, spa and concierge services, dining and abundant social activities.
The more intensive and changing needs of assisted living and memory care residents are attended to by a wide range of specialists.
Mira Vie at West Milford maintains an active Facebook account. Some highlights of the past summer include making coasters in crafts class; an Olympics celebration with residents wearing medals—some more than one!; celebrations of birthdays and National Hot Dog Day, the latter including a short road trip to The Lantern in nearby Wanaque, New Jersey; a ministerial and musical visit from Pastor Nick of Almond Branch Church in West Milford, who brought along a guitarist; a cuddling visit from Judah the therapy dog; and a celebration of the music of Duke Ellington, including some very impressive senior dancing.
Promenade at Tuxedo Place
40 Hospital Rd, Tuxedo Park, NY
845-351-0000
www.promenadesenior.com/location/promenade-tuxedo-place
Type: Independent and Assisted Living
Set on a wooded hill on just off Route 17, with both the Ramapo River and the New York State Thruway over yonder to the east, Promenade at Tuxedo Place is family owned and operated community providing seniors with both assisted and independent living options.
Both Promenade, and its sister development, the senior rental Residences at Tuxedo Place, also offer one a rare chance to live in Tuxedo Park, the famed village founded by tobacco heir Pierre Lorillard at the southern end of the town of Tuxedo, which itself is accessible by train to New York City.
This connection to the Big Apple isn’t just coincidental. Promenade co-founder Steven M. Laufer has a law degree from Fordham; his brother Ben an accounting degree from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business, while others in company’s top management come from St John’s University; Hunter College; and NYU. While such credentials don’t necessarily insure a superior level of care in a senior living facility, the fact that the Laufers literally put their names and faces on their website reflects conscious accountability unusual in a sometimes opaque industry.
The same could be said for Tuxuedo Place’s executive director, Suzanne Evanhoff who, among her many other duties, oversees the publication of a monthly newsletter including an activities calendar that’s jam packed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
Some August highlights included celebrations of International Beer Day; World Elephant Day; 19th Amendment Day (women’s right to vote, which was ratified on August 18, 1920), and on the last day of the month, Tony Bennett’s Birthday. Summer bus trips included journeys to Shop Rite, Dollar Tree, Bellvale Creamery and a Hudson River Picnic, with numerous music, movie, exercise programs for those who want to make room for... more ice cream!
For seniors and families impressed by Promenade but too distant from Tuxedo Park, the company also has facilities in University Place (Albany) and Blue Hill, both of which offer Memory Care; Chestnut Ridge and Middleton.
Sapphire Nursing & Rehab
46 Harriman Dr., Goshen, NY
845-360-1200
www.goshencare.com
Type: Short term care, long term care,dementia care
Located right off Route 6 with Legoland down the road one way, and the aptly named Good Time Park the other, Sapphire Nursing & Rehab is a 120-bed Skilled Nursing facility that provides Goshenites and others a wide range of 24/7 skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Many non-Goshenites are likely familiar with the town’s Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, which is worth the trip alone.
Utilizing an interdisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, dieticians, therapists and activity leaders, Sapphire welcomes both short and long-term residents with the goal of maximizing their independence and quality of life. Among the services Sapphire provides are cardiac care, dietary care, certified dementia care and more.
Sapphire maintains an active Facebook and Instagram accounts that offer both resident updates and glimpse of their staff, such as Brendon, who was honored as the “Lucky Duck” of July for having no call out days.
Among this past summer’s resident highlights was seniors offering back to school advice for young people; recognition of Senior Citizens Day (August 21); National Book Lover’s Day (August 9); and on August 1, Casino including a life size slot machine. Christmas In July was as delightful as one would hope, (perhaps residents can watch Preston Sturges’ brilliant 1940 comedy of the same name on movie night sometime), which isn’t to diminish the joys of National Lemonade Day (July 23); bonfire night with storytelling and s’mores; Shark Week; and Independence Day.
On National Tell a Joke Day, August 16. Sapphire shared the following: “Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon?” “I heard the food was good but it had no atmosphere!”
The Sentinel of Port Jervis
2247 Greenville Turnpike, Port Jervis, NY
845-697-0400
www.sentinalalf.com/the-sentinel-of-port-jervis
Type: Assisted Living
Nestled on amid greenery off County Road 15 (New York) and State Road 23 (New Jersey) and just a strong stone’s throw from I-84, the Sentinel of Port Jervis provides a level of luxurious assisted living commensurate with its ideal location. Opened in 2019, the community features 160-units spread across 65,000 square feet set on five acres of property.
A member of the Polaris Health Care group, Sentinel operates three other assisted communities (Amsterdam, Mohegan Lake and Rockland (Montebello)), and has its corporate headquarters in Monsey.
Among the Port Jervis Sentinel’s services are a wide range of daily living assistance, including around the clock are and including medication assistance, if needed; a Wellness Center featuring an on-site internist, podiatrist and physical and occupation therapists. Residents are served three home-cooked meals served daily in Sentinel’s lavish dining room. To maintain a healthy life of the mind, there’s a library, a solarium, movie theater and transportation to local attractions.
The Sentinel’s apartments and rooms are similarly well-appointed, with various floor plans, quality furniture and carpeting, individually controlled heating and air; emergency call systems; weekly housekeeping, laundry and linen services; and flat screen televisions with cable; and Wi-Fi.
As for organized activities at the Sentinel, their seven days a week schedule puts the social lives of many younger people to shame. For example, just sampling the Fridays of their September 2024 calendar, there’s Yoga with Eileen; Book Lover’s Review; Texas Hold ‘Em 101; Poetry Writing; TGIF Table Talk Tidbits; Crooner’s Karaoke; Short Story Discussion; Poker Night; Mindful Meditation; and a Poetry Share on T.S. Eliot.
Scheduled bus excursions this same month include trips to Wal Mart, Apple Valley Shops, West Fall Mall and High Point Park in New Jersey, with this month’s music and entertainment comes from DJ Octavius; Jon Z; Alyssa Goldstein.
Take that big city chauvinists!
Twin Cedar Senior Living
364 Little Walker Road, Shohola, PA
570-296-7471
www.twincedarspch.com
Type: Assisted Living, Memory Care
Located in a short distance off Route 6, and near both Twin Lakes and Shohola Falls, Twin Cedar Senior Living is a highly rated 37-bed assisted living facility in a bucolic, heavily wooded 16-acre setting.
It’s not just industry watchers like SeniorAdvisor.com, Caring.com, A Place For Mom and U.S. News & World Report who praise Twin Cedar either; there are many testimonials from friends of relatives writing about their parents, grandparents, others.
One theme that stands out in a way not all senior homes do is how happy, and “beyond amazing” the Twin Cedar staff is. This is something everyone hopes for, of course, but in a demanding industry where staffing shortages are common, isn’t always achieved.
In addition to “long term care “when their own homes can no longer provide them with safety and the level of care they require,” Twin Cedar also offers respite care is at its name suggest, a temporary break from the heavy responsibilities of assisting elders with significant medical needs, while its Adult Day Care program is a lively alternative for Shohola locals.
Amenities at Twin Cedar include a library, a cinema and music room, an exercise and fitness area; an onsite beauty salon; a private luxury dining room; religious services; community rooms; and complimentary Wi-Fi. Transportation, cable tv, guest meals and a companion program called “friend for a day” are also available.
Twin Cedar maintains an active Facebook account, with such summer highlights as the 99th birthday of beloved resident Arlene; Ice Cream Sandwich Day on August 3; the birthday of 93 years young resident Florence; a visit from the Drew Methodist Choir with apple cake for dessert; and happy sipping and cookies for Pina Colada Day of July 12 . The Fourth of July and of course National Lemonade Day of June 12 were also days of celebration.
A charming TikTok video of June 10 even residents enjoying rounds of cornhole from their various places on the couches and chairs. Swish!
Valley View Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center
1 Summit Avenue, Newton, NJ
973-383-1450
valleyviewrhc.com
Type: Skilled Nursing Facility, Long Term Care
Rates (Per Day): Private rooms $400, semi-private rooms $350, 3-bedded room $335
Located just off scenic Route 94 / High Street, the Valley View Rehabilitation & Health Care Center was bought in 2016 and is a 28-bed skilled nursing and long-term care facility. Along with private rooms, semi-private rooms and 3-bedded rooms, there are also Medicare and Medicaid rooms available. Medicare and personal insurance pays for subacute stays at Valley View Rehabilitation & Health Care Center.
Valley View Rehabilitation & Health Care Center services include 24-hour skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, a fall prevention program, recreation therapy, pain management, counseling services, among others.
Included in the cost of the room rates are meals, linens, laundry and hygiene products. The monthly calendar offers many activities, social events, groups and 1:1 programs including morning mingle, current events, movie night, live music, arts & crafts, Sunday church service, games, fitness, baking club, and others. There are various culinary activities, which are held on Fridays a 3 p.m., such as an ice cream and hot fudge sundaes socials, apple cider donut parties, and monthly birthday celebrations.
There is a hairdresser onsite twice a month and the prices vary depending on the service being done. There is also a Nail Spa Day.
There is no waiting list for Valley View Rehabilitation & Health Care Center.
“Someone should choose Valley View if they are looking for the homelike feel of a small facility, that offers excellent care. When it comes to individualizing your care, our small size makes a big difference,” said Adriane Leyman, director of recreation.
Walden Heights
126 Montgomery Street, Walden, NY
845-713-4444
www.waldenheights.com
Type: Active Adult Rental Community
Newly opened with its ribbon cutting in April 2024, Walden Heights is an “active adult rental community” for those 55 and older, though the development’s marketing mavens also employ the phrase “55 and Better”—which isn’t a bad way to look at things.
“This is an amazing facility! I’m 66 and, if my wife throws me out, this is where I’m moving,” joked Walden Mayor John Ramos upon its opening. “This is the Taj Mahal with a gym, a library and an art center, and this place makes me proud to be the mayor of this village.”
Describing itself further as “an upscale active adult residence... for those who desire to settle into comfort and convenience but still long to actively see the world,” Walden Heights plants its flag locally in the scenic Hudson Valley, with its mountains, lakes, trails and quaint towns – including the village of Walden itself, through which flows the wondrous Walkill River flows, with its attendant dams and waterfalls. Many bicyclists, walkers and others enjoy the nearby Walden-Walkill Rail Trail.
A bit east of Walden along I-84 are the attractions of Newburgh and Beacon, from where one can a train to New York City, which pulses about 80 miles to the south.
Back home in Walden Heights, there’s the Club Room, for social gathering or repose; the Community Lounge for holidays and parties; a game room; and a surround-sound movie theater—perhaps some enchanted evening they’ll watch the classic 1955 John Ford movie, Long Grey Line set at nearby West Point. There’s also a fitness and yoga center, an arts and crafts room, and of course, 24-hour security.
Walden Heights offers two different two-bedroom floor plans— one with 1.5 baths, the other with two—nearly the same size (1150 versus 1171 square feet), with prices starting at $2200 monthly as of September 2024.
Westwind Manor
25 Main Street, Franklin, NJ
973-827-6575
www.westwindmanor.com
Type: Independent and Assisted Living
There are few senior homes embody the essence of northwest New Jersey more than Westwind Manor. How so? While many people—Sussex and Morris County residents especially—are aware of the region’s rich mining history, only Westwind Manor uses the former estate of a mining magnate, Robert M. Catlin—who was superintendent of the New Jersey Zinc Company’s Franklin mine from 1906-1930— as its home. Celebrated as the “Man Who Saved Franklin” from rural isolation and eventual decay, its Catlin’s legacy today that home—his mansion—to bring new life and possibility to area seniors.
This isn’t just rhetoric. While all assisted living homes offer lists of services and ample mentions of “home,” Westwind Manor has a philosophy of mind, body and spirit in place, based on the seven dimensions of wellness identified by the International Center on Active Aging: Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, Vocational, Social, Spiritual and Environmental.
To achieve these goals, Westwind Manor—with a listed capacity of 36 assisted living beds— offers both one and two-bedroom apartments, and private and semi-private bedrooms. Basic amenities include three daily, restaurant style chef-prepared meals (overseen by a licensed dietician); snacks and beverages throughout the day; weekly laundry and housekeeping services; daily trash removal; weekly heath and vital statistics monitoring by a resident Registered Nurse; medication distribution; and transportation to local barbers or beauty salon.
There’s also a plethora of health and recreation activities to partake in desires and is able.
Westwind Manor keeps an active Facebook and Instagram accounts with both still photos and videos. This summer, residents got into the Olympic spirit by playing darts; a a seated, indoor badminton variation with using balloons instead of a shuttlecock; magnetic fishing.
Painting rocks, playing bubble games, and a dog show by the well-trained Purple Dragon K9s, a Sussex County-based dog troupe renowned for their agility, jumping and obedience also appeared popular. In June, the Arrowhead Cabaret Group—few of whom are themselves “spring chickens”—impressed all with their singing, dancing and playful interactions with their rapt Westwind Manor audience.
For those visiting their friends or a loved one at Westwind Manor, you know what’s just down the road? The nationally renowned Franklin Mineral Museum, dedicated to the history and geology of “the greatest mineral locality on Earth.”