5 Assisted Living Communities in Hazleton, Pennsylvania

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $3,600 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 5 Assisted Living Communities in Hazleton and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Hazleton, PA

• Assisted Living: $3,600
• Nursing Home Care: $8,152
• In-home Care: $3,638
• Adult Day Health Services: n/a

Seniors in Hazleton pay an average monthly cost of $3,600 for assisted living. This is according to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care survey, which shows costs in Hazleton to be less than the state average ($3,750) and national median ($4,000). Of cities in the surrounding area, assisted living costs in Scranton ($2,400) are the lowest, while those in Lebanon ($4,358) are much higher and far exceed the state average. Assisted living costs in Allentown ($3,750), East Stroudsburg ($3,463) and Reading ($3,400) are the most comparable to those in Hazleton.

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Hazleton, so data for the closest area, Bloomsburg, was used.

In Hazleton, the average monthly cost of skilled, 24-hour nursing home care ($9,095) is more than double that of assisted living. Impressively, the upfront fees of assisted living, which often include expenses such as rent, meals and maintenance, are lower than those of home health care. Homemaker services ($4,433) and home health aides ($4,528), which do not include regular home living expenses, are significantly more costly in Hazleton than assisted living. At $1,517 per month and with more limited care hours, adult day health services are the least expensive type of senior care.

 

Medical Assistance is Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program and benefits certain low-income residents such as families with children, seniors and people with disabilities through low-cost or free health care services. 

Qualifications for these services vary depending on the specific program within MA but include criteria such as financial limits, age and level of disability.

One type of MA, known as non-money payment, may be available to certain Hazleton residents who qualify for Supplemental Security Income or are aged 65 and older, blind or disabled. To be eligible, they must meet the below financial criteria:

• Earn a maximum monthly income than $793.10 (individual) or $1,190.30 (married couple)
• Have maximum assets of $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (married couple)

For residents who meet the aged, blind or disabled criteria but have financial resources over the NMP limits, the Medically Needy Only MA program may be available. These individuals must incur monthly medical expenses that dip their income down to the following limits to qualify:

• Monthly income of no more than $425 (individual) or $442 (married couple)
• Assets of no more than $2,400 (individual) or $3,200 (married couple)

Those who fall into the NMP or MNO MA categories may receive health care services including:

• Doctor and hospital visits
• Nursing home and hospice care
• Mental health care
• Physical therapy
• Emergency services
• Prescription drugs
• Laboratory services
• Substance abuse services
• Dental and vision services

To apply for MA services, Hazleton seniors should complete the online application or call the COMPASS helpline for assistance at (800) 692-7462.

Aging Waiver

Hazleton seniors who would like to live in an assisted living facility may be eligible to receive additional MA services through the home and community-based aging waiver.

To qualify for the aging waiver, seniors should:

• Be at least 60 years old and a Pennsylvania resident
• Earn a maximum of $2,313 in monthly income
• Have a maximum of $2,000 in countable assets, not including certain items such as personal belongings, a vehicle and a home
• Require a skilled nursing home level of care

Services provided through the aging waiver include:

• Service coordination
• Personal assistance services and assistance with activities of daily living
• Home-delivered meals and home health services
• Respite care
• Transition services for those moving out of a nursing home
• Participant-led community supports 
• Counseling services
• Medical supplies, technology and equipment
• TeleCare

To begin an assessment process, Hazleton seniors who would like to enroll in the aging waiver program should contact Luzerne County’s Area Agency on Aging at (570) 822-1158. 

Living Independence for the Elderly

Living Independence for the Elderly is Pennsylvania’s Program of All-Inclusive Care and may be available to help Hazleton seniors who wish to live at home or in the community. LIFE provides personal needs and health services to eligible residents such as:

• Primary medical care

• Adult day care

• Nursing and hospice care

• Personal care

• Social services

• Recreational activities, meals and transportation

• Prescription drugs

• Physical, speech and occupational therapies

• Medical equipment

To qualify for LIFE, Hazleton residents must:

• Require a special rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility level of care

• Be aged 55 and older

• Be determined as capable of safely receiving services while residing in the community by a LIFE provider

• Meet MA income and asset requirements or have the resources to pay for LIFE services

To apply for the LIFE program, Hazleton residents should contact the Luzerne County LIFE Geisinger Scranton organization at (570) 558-6160.

Personal Care Boarding Home Income

The state of Pennsylvania distributes monetary payments to certain residents willing to live in a qualifying Personal Care Boarding Home. The payments are made through the federal and state combined SSI program, and the monthly amounts distributed to participants equal:

• $1,210.30 for an individual

• $2,114.40 for a married couple

These payments may be used by participants to pay for room and board and services in a PCBH. To qualify for this program, Pennsylvania residents must meet the following income and asset criteria:

• Earn a maximum monthly income of $771 (individual) or $1,157 (married couple)

• Have maximum assets of $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (married couple), with burial plots, a vehicle and a home excluded

Those interested in applying for SSI and PCBH income may complete an application online or call Social Security at (800) 772-1213.

Luzerne County’s Area Agency on Aging provides seniors and their loved ones with services such as an ombudsman program, caregiver resources, home-delivered meals and assistance with nursing home transitions.  Area Agency on Aging-Luzerne and Wyoming Counties
111 N Pennsylvania Ave, #100, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
(570) 822-1158

Luzerne County veterans and their families have access to VFW memberships and services through the Luzerne County Veteran Affairs office. Programs include assistance with disability compensation, Veteran’s Aid & Attendance, burial benefits and property tax exemptions.

Veterans of Foreign Wars
75 Banks Ave, Conyngham, PA 18219
(570) 788-1070
Annual memberships are $30, and meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month.

Luzerne County Veteran Affairs
County Westside Annex
2009 Wyoming Ave, Forty Fort, PA 18704
(570) 706-3960

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.