New Hampshire Assisted Living

Finding a Catholic assisted living facility in New Hampshire is about as easy as it gets. A simple search turns up many Catholic retirement communities in NH, all of which are highly rated and truly Catholic. Additionally, there are several faith-based assisted living centers where many Christian faiths find a common home in which to explore their faith with their fellow seniors and care teams that understand the importance of faith in living a happy and healthy life.

Cost of Catholic Assisted Living in New Hampshire

On a cost basis though, New Hampshire is definitely not one of the most budget friendly destinations in the US. While national averages for assisted living hover around $4,000 per month, New Hampshire rates top $7,000 per month.  In Manchester, NH, it’s even higher at more than $7,100 per month. That’s a significant premium, especially for anyone on a fixed income but for those that have spent a lifetime enjoying this state, it could be well worth it.

Catholic Assisted Living Communities in New Hampshire - Amenities

Given the mix of Catholic and faith-based assisted living facilities in this state, it may be helpful to have a few ways to quickly identify those ALFs that are Catholic assisted living facilities and those that aren’t.

You can start by considering the name, and for the most part, this is a fairly accurate way to quickly identify Catholic centers. For example, St. Anne and St. Francis are exactly as their names suggest. Mt. Carmel on the other hand appears to be Catholic in all ways and yet, a look at what they say about themselves excludes any mention of their obvious Catholic faith so, it may be that this center is more of a multi-denominational home that a Catholic assisted living facility.

In these cases, the next best indicator is their calendar of daily activities. If the Eucharistic Mass is offered each day, this is undoubtedly a Catholic assisted living facility. This will be true even if the mass is held off-site at a nearby parish church. If the mass is only offered on Sunday’s it is unlikely to be a true Catholic facility so seniors will have to take that into account.

Then there are those home that are most certainly non-denominational by design. These can still offer an enriching environment for all Christian, including Catholics, and for some seniors this may offer some advantages that accrue with diversity so, don’t necessarily take those off the list of options, especially if they offer something unique. Brookdale is a good example. For seniors that love woodworking, this assisted living center has an active woodworking shop that they will be welcome to use, just as if it was their own workshop at home.

Religious Amenities

For Catholics, the heart of the community is the parish church. In a Catholic assisted living facility, it is the chapel that serves this important role. It is where mass is offered and confessions are heard. It is where residents gather for the Novena and where religious counseling is often available. This spiritual center is share by the care team as well so everyone in the home has the opportunity to worship as a true community.

The people that manage these Catholic and faith-based assisted living facilities are the next most important amenity any assisted living center has to offer. Their professionalism and the faith work together turn senior living facilities into true homes, where love and compassion are evident in all that they do for their residents. So, no matter what home seniors are considering, don’t underestimate the real value people play in delivering meaningful care.

Assisted living facilities offer lots of activities that help seniors fill their days but for Catholic assisted living facilities, the typical activities come up short. These Catholic retirement communities add things like bible studies and guest lecturers that focus on exploring the faith and creating a deeper relationship with God and his son Jesus. As amenities go, there is no faith where these types of activities are missed.

General Amenities in New Hampshire Retirement Communities

If age was just a number then anyone past a certain age would be old. Fortunately, it isn’t that simple. There is no number that can possibly define a person as either young or old. For either, it requires attitude, and those that can maintain a positive attitude are and will always be young, no matter how “old” they are or how many aches and pains that age have challenged them with.

Assisted living facilities are especially valuable for these seniors. ALFs in NH are specifically charged with helping seniors beat back the limitation those aches and pains tend to create, so they can continue to enjoy active and fulfilling lives. This could mean offering a helping hand bathing, dressing and grooming. It might be a steadying hand so seniors can comfortably and safely move from activity to activity as the events of each day unfold. It is likely to include medication assistance that helps ensure the right meds are taken at the right time, and in the right dosages. It may also include remainders and other assistance for those seniors that are experiencing some level of incontinence. These are all known as ADL care (Assisted Daily Living).

Then there are meals and in most assisted living centers, these are a point of great pride. Together with a trained dietician, professional chefs offer diverse menus of great food that rival some of the best local restaurants. Seniors get to enjoy a fantastic breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day, either in the comfort of their private apartment or in the company of friends in the restaurant-style dining room. For the time in between meals when seniors might feel a bit puckish, there are normally all-day snacks on offer as well.

Activities make daily life in these assisted living facilities feel a lot like living in a resort, with a wide range of activities on offer that fill each day with opportunities for fun, excitement and education. There are fitness programs that help improve mobility and stamina. There are lots of social activities as well that help seniors create strong bonds with their fellow residents. These are all in addition to the religious activities that make an assisted living center and Catholic assisted living facility.

Privacy isn’t lost when seniors settle into an assisted living facility. There are semi-private rooms, studio suites and one-bedroom apartments that provide what seniors need when they need some time to themselves. For example, seniors who typically wake in the morning and enjoy coffee and the morning paper at the breakfast table can still do the very same thing in their own apartment. For those that have a family member or companion to share living arrangements with, some assisted living facilities also offer companion / two-bedroom units.

Catholic assisted living facilities, faith-based assisted living centers and more are plentiful in New Hampshire. Seniors can practically stick a pin in the map and find many Catholic retirement communities worth considering so, stick that pin in and start exploring.