Find Assisted Living Facilities near Dartmouth, MA

Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Assisted Living

An assisted living community is an organized living community which offers supervision, support, and care to medically stable persons who do not require skilled nursing support. Assisted living communities commonly provide opportunities for organized activity, assistance with appointments and transit, and help with daily activities. In certain cases, communities may provide continuing care, skilled nursing, or hospice. In Massachusetts, the annual median cost for an assisted living community is around $67,680 . The state of Massachusetts maintains specific regulations related to this kind of community. The Executive Office of Elder Affairs regulates this community type. Public assistance is available through Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver program. This type of community is required to offer a number of services. These include management of self-administered prescription or over-the-counter medications, assistance with activities of daily living , timely assistance with urgent or emergency needs, and assistance with instrumental activities of daily living. There must be one toilet for every 1 residents and one bath or shower for every 1 residents. This type of community is required to have a staff member on duty 24 hours a day. Before a resident is accepted, they must go through a service plan screening to assure their needs are going to be met. This screening includes a number of areas of interest such as assessment of allergies and dietary needs, a comprehensive mental and physical assessment, assessment of the individual’s needs and preferences, and assessment of residents need for assistance in emergency situations. This community type has a number of provisions pertaining to medication assistance. These provisions include observing residents while they take the medication, management of self-administered medications, and opening containers and pre-packaged medications. Staff members receive training in a number of fields. These include: Sanitation and food safety, emergency policies and procedures, elder abuse and neglect, and Dementia/cognitive impairment. 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, a qualified dietitian must review the residence’s dietary plans at least every 6 months, communities must provide up to three regularly scheduled meals daily, and residence must provide or arrange for the availability of food selections that would permit a resident to adhere to a diet consistent with the most recent edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Demographics and Values

The total population of Dartmouth consists of 34,341 people. Dartmouth has a population density of 217 people per square mile. Demographically, Dartmouth is 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.4% other or not specified, 89.8% white, 2.7% black, 0.0% Native American, 3.0% mixed race, 3.0% Asian, and 2.9% Hispanic. Out of the total city population, 49.1% are male and 50.9% are female. The median age of Dartmouth is 41 years old. Out of the total population of Dartmouth, 8.2% live in poverty, 2.2% do not have health insurance, 58.1% participate in the labor force, and 13.5% have some form of disability. In terms of education, 14.0% have a graduate degree, 30.9% have a college degree, and 29.3% have a high-school diploma. In Dartmouth, 6.9% of the people are veterans of the United States armed forces.

Cost of Living

The overall cost of living can be a major influence when selecting which community is the best fit for your family. Monthly, the median rent in Dartmouth is $1,510 per month and the median value of a home in Dartmouth is $328,932. The rent burden for Dartmouth is around 21.1% of the average person’s monthly income.

State Information

An overview of Massachusetts

Overall, Massachusetts ranks 8th in quality of life and 2nd in healthcare compared to other US states. The natural beauty of Massachusetts is ranked 26th in the nation. The state of Massachusetts has 78 hospitals and 129 health centers, providing care to a population of 6,941,273. Cape Cod Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and New England Baptist Hospital are among the top three highest ranked hospitals in the state. Out of a national average of 100, Massachusetts has a cost of living index rating of 134, a grocery index rating of 114, and a housing index rating of 170.

Social demographics of the state

In Massachusetts, 30% of the population is over the age of 55. The median age in the state is 39. In terms of religion, 23% of Massachusetts residents attend religious services among the 4,200 different congregations that are available in the state. 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. The state of Massachusetts ranks 16th in the country for diversity and the state is considered very LGBTQ friendly. In the most recent presidential election, 33% of Massachusetts residents voted Republican and 60% voted Democrat.

State-wide weather information

The average humidity across the state is 71%. The highest monthly average humidity rating is 71% in the month of December. The average amount of precipitation peaks during the month of May at around 6.10 inches. The average monthly precipitation for the state of Massachusetts is around 4.04 inches. On average, Massachusetts has an air quality index rating of around 38.9 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of May with a rating of 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. The average low summer temperature is around 50F in the month of June. 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 Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Hemlock, American Beech, and Sycamore. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the Cardinal Flower, the Woodchucks, the New England Aster, or the Bats. The state animal of Massachusetts is the Woodchucks.