Dementia Care in Short Hills, NJ: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Short Hills, NJ: the local picture

169

residents 85 or older (1.1% of all residents)

1,749

residents 65 or older (12% of Short Hills)

21%

of residents 65+ report a disability (33% in Essex County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Short Hills has about 169 residents aged 85 or older among 1,749 aged 65 or older. The risk of Alzheimer’s rises steeply with age, and the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that about a third of people 85 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia.

21% of residents 65 and older report a disability (33% in Essex County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

15% of older Short Hills residents in households live alone. For someone with memory loss who lives alone, a few hours of daily check-ins are often the first step.

Short Hills compared with Essex County and New Jersey

Census figure	Short Hills	Essex County	New Jersey
Residents 85 or older	1.1%	1.7%	2.1%
Residents 65 or older	12%	14%	17%
Residents 65+ with a disability	21%	33%	30%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	15%	31%	27%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	2.1%	15%	9.7%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	35%	38%	33%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$240,781	$61,232	—

Older residents in towns around Short Hills

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Summit, NJ	2.5 mi	3,305	425
Vauxhall, NJ	2.7 mi	769	55
Chatham, NJ	3.0 mi	957	195
Union, NJ	4.2 mi	269	50
Florham Park, NJ	4.3 mi	2,872	405
Mountainside, NJ	4.4 mi	1,709	170

Nursing homes near Short Hills

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Careone At Livingston	Livingston, NJ	2.3 mi	4 of 5	120	(973) 758-9000
South Mountain Hc	Vauxhall, NJ	2.5 mi	3 of 5	195	(908) 688-3400
Stratford Manor Rehabilitation And Care Center	West Orange, NJ	2.6 mi	4 of 5	131	(973) 731-4500
Livingston Post Acute Care	Livingston, NJ	2.7 mi	2 of 5	124	(973) 758-8200
Alaris Health At West Orange	West Orange, NJ	3.2 mi	4 of 5	120	(973) 324-3000
Inglemoor Rehabilitation And Care Center	Livingston, NJ	3.3 mi	5 of 5	138	(973) 994-0221

Hospices serving Short Hills

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
Life Hospice	Livingston, NJ	3.5 mi	(973) 607-4930
Barnabas Health Home Care And Hospice	West Orange, NJ	4.9 mi	(855) 619-4448
Ascend Hospice	Cranford, NJ	5.9 mi	(908) 931-9080
Homeside Hospice LLC	Cranford, NJ	5.9 mi	(732) 381-3444

Straight-line miles from the center of Short Hills. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a dementia caregiver can help with

Keeping a predictable daily routine
Gentle help with bathing, dressing and toileting
Meals, hydration and medication reminders
Calming approaches for sundowning, agitation and repeated questions

Cost

What dementia care costs in Short Hills

At the New Jersey median aide wage of $17.83 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,545 a month in wages, which is 8% of the $20,065 monthly median income of Short Hills households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New Jersey's minimum wage is $15.92 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a dementia caregiver

An estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Facts and Figures. Most live at home, cared for by family. The Association’s 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is free.

Questions worth asking: Tell me about someone with dementia you cared for. What worked? What do you do when a client becomes agitated in the late afternoon? How do you keep someone safe who tries to leave the house? More in our dementia care guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Dementia Care in Short Hills: common questions

What nursing homes are near Short Hills?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Careone At Livingston in Livingston (2.3 mi, 4 of 5 overall); South Mountain Hc in Vauxhall (2.5 mi, 3 of 5 overall); Stratford Manor Rehabilitation And Care Center in West Orange (2.6 mi, 4 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Short Hills?

At the New Jersey median aide wage of $17.83 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,545 a month in wages, which is 8% of the $20,065 monthly median income of Short Hills households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New Jersey's minimum wage is $15.92 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

When does someone with dementia need care at home?

Common signs are missed meals or medication, getting lost in familiar places, unsafe cooking or driving, and a family caregiver who is exhausted. Many families start with a few hours a day and add hours, nights or live-in help as the disease progresses.

More near Short Hills

More senior care near Short Hills

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Short Hills

More for Short Hills families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

In-Home Dementia and Alzheimer's Care in Short Hills, NJ