Find Assisted Living Facilities near Westwood, MA

Westwood, Massachusetts

Assisted Living

Assisted living communities administer supervision, personal care, and social interaction to persons who are about 65 years old. The types of service offered often involve support with ADLs. Occupants may be kept under observation and evaluation. In certain cases, communities may offer Alzheimer’s care, nursing care, or hospice. In Massachusetts, the annual median cost for an assisted living community is around $67,680 . The state of Massachusetts maintains specific rules associated with this type of community. The Executive Office of Elder Affairs regulates this type of community. This community has a number of provisions concerning food and diet which include communities must provide up to three regularly scheduled meals daily, qualified dietitian must counsel residents regarding therapeutic diets and other dietary issues, a qualified dietitian must review residents’ dietary needs, 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 toilet for every 1 residents and one bath or shower for every 1 residents. Staff are required to obtain training in a variety of subjects. These areas include Review of the aging process, management of self-administered medications, Job requirements, and resident bill of rights. Before a resident is accepted, they must go through a service plan screening to ensure their needs are going to be met. This screening includes a number of areas of interest such as assessment of residents ability to manage medications, assessment of allergies and dietary needs, assessment of residents current diagnoses and medical history, and assessment of the individual’s needs and preferences. This type of community is required to offer a number of services. These include timely assistance with urgent or emergency needs, assistance with instrumental activities of daily living, management of self-administered prescription or over-the-counter medications, and assistance with activities of daily living . This community type has a number of provisions pertaining to medication assistance. These provisions include reminding residents to take medications, management of self-administered medications, and observing residents while they take the medication. Public assistance is available through Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver program.

Demographics and Values

Based on gender, 48.7% are male and 51.3% are female. The median age of Westwood is 45 years old. In Westwood, 7.1% of the citizens are veterans. Westwood has a population density of 553 people per square mile. The current population of Westwood consists of 15,597 people. Of the population of Westwood 70.4% have a college degree, 11.9% have a high-school diploma, and 33.7% have a graduate degree. Demographically, Westwood is 1.9% Hispanic, 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.1% other or not specified, 7.6% Asian, 0.3% black, 1.6% mixed race, 89.5% white, and 0.0% Native American. Out of the total population of Westwood, 6.4% consider themselves widows, 0.9% do not have health insurance, 1.9% live in poverty, and 67.6% participate in the labor force.

Cost of Living

Cost of living can be the major factor when deciding what care option fits best. Monthly, the median rent in Westwood is around $2,528 per month and the median home value in Westwood is around $662,125. The rent burden for Westwood is around 19.2% of the average monthly income.

State Information

An overview of Massachusetts

There are 78 hospitals and 129 health centers that service 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. Massachusetts is ranked 8th in quality of life and 2nd in healthcare. The natural beauty of Massachusetts is ranked 26th in the nation.

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. The state of Massachusetts ranks 16th in the country for diversity and the state is considered very LGBTQ friendly. In the last presidential election 60% of Massachusetts residents voted Democrat and 33% voted Republican. In terms of religious values, 23% of Massachusetts’s population regularly attend some form of service and there are in total 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.

State-wide weather information

The average temperature in the winter falls to around 28F. The average high winter temperature is around 45F in the month of January. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 7F in the month of December. The average temperature in the summer rises to 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. 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 most precipitation occurs in May with an average of 6.10 inches of precipitation a month. The average monthly precipitation for the state of Massachusetts is around 4.04 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 Sycamore, Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Red Cedar, and Eastern Hemlock. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the Black Bears, the White Pine, the Spotted Geranium, or the Woodchucks. The state animal of Massachusetts is the Woodchucks.