It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting President Garfield Memorial in Long Branch, NJ gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Long Branch, NJ is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I cannot thank Always Best Care enough for helping us find an ideal Assisted Living”
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“I am a current client of this provider We are very happy with Always Best Care.”
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“I am a current client of this provider We hired Always Best Care two weeks ago”
“I just started using always best care for my dad The certified aids that came from the agency were fantastic This situation is new for myself and my dad For having no complaints from my dad is a plus So ty again for such an easy transition for my dad Much appreciated Susan”
“Such an amazing company with employees who truly care about their business and those they take care of. Caretakers are top notch and customer service is great and they are available whenever you need them.”
“It is a pleasure to work for someone that genuinely respects caregivers for the job we do!”
“I am a current client of this provider I can’t begin to tell to you how pleased I am with Always Best Care. Not only have they placed the perfect caregiver with my mother they also take care of the billing and when I need to speak to a receptionist they are always available. Thank you!!”
“I cannot thank Always Best Care enough for helping us find an ideal Assisted Living Facility for my mother. We moved to the city a month ago and had little idea about the local senior living communities. I’d like to thank the highly experienced and knowledgeable caregivers of Always Best Care for helping our family during the difficult time.”
“I am a current client of this provider Your manager is always nice and flexible, and the caregivers are sweet and wonderful”
“I am a current client of this provider We are very happy with Always Best Care. They do 24hr care, and the caregiver is excellent. I would recommend them.”
“I am a current client of this provider We have hired Always Best Care. We have them for 5 to 6 weeks now. My mother practically does everything herself, but sometimes they might fix her her lunch, there might be a little bit of shopping, and they take her to her appointment. My mother is fine. The hours are fine. She got the hours that she requested. I know she is being billed on her credit card. They have been very helpful and very cooperative. The women always call back.”
“I am a current client of this provider We hired Always Best Care two weeks ago for my mom. The woman comes in three days a week to assist my mother with doing the wash, keeping the house picked up, and just talking to her. She’s wonderful. We interviewed several people, and there was just something about the way they were organized in their presentation and their follow up. that impressed us. They were a level above the other ones that we spoke to. They really listen to you about your needs and work very hard to match the caregiver up with what you’re looking for. We were very impressed with them.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Jerry Morgan Park in Long Branch, NJ with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant or visit Seven Presidents Memorial, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Long Branch, NJ, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Long Branch, NJ understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Long Branch, NJ 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
The State Health Planning Board sat through hours of impassioned testimony Thursday on the relocation of services from Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch to a new acute care hospital in Tinton Falls.The public hearing, held at the Anne Vogel Family Care and Wellness Center in Eatontown, was nearly derailed before it even started by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist., who objected to the size of the space reserved for the hearing — which drew more than 300 people.The hearing was originally scheduled for Oct. 29 at th...
The State Health Planning Board sat through hours of impassioned testimony Thursday on the relocation of services from Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch to a new acute care hospital in Tinton Falls.
The public hearing, held at the Anne Vogel Family Care and Wellness Center in Eatontown, was nearly derailed before it even started by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist., who objected to the size of the space reserved for the hearing — which drew more than 300 people.
The hearing was originally scheduled for Oct. 29 at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch. Pallone alleged Thursday the state moved the meeting to make it more difficult for people who oppose the project to be able to come.
“I have never seen such an outrage in my entire life,” Pallone said in a heated exchange with former U.S. Sen. George Helmy‚ who’s also executive vice president, chief external affairs and policy officer for RWJ Barnabas Health.
“You’re a United States Senator and you think this is okay?” Pallone asked, standing over a seated Helmy prior to the hearing.
Officials with RWJ Barnabas Health, which owns Monmouth Medical, said they planned for 250 attendees. However, when the meeting started at 4 p.m., there were still dozens of people waiting in a long queue outside.
Pallone later claimed in a press release that more than 500 residents arrived to speak and were denied entry. NJ Advance Media couldn’t verify that number.
“While I understand and appreciate the congressman’s comments, we do believe we provided adequate opportunity,” Eric Carney, president and chief executive officer of Monmouth Medical, told NJ Advance Media Thursday night when asked about Pallone’s remarks.
More than three hours after the meeting started, Mike Beson was among a handful of people still waiting in an overflow room for his chance to speak.
“I’m here to say that it’s an underserved area,” said Beson, a resident of Ocean Township.
Monmouth Medical, a 513-bed facility in Long Branch owned by RWJ Barnabas Health, plans to transfer its labor and delivery services, acute care in-patient beds and the hospital’s license to a new facility on the site of the Vogel Medical Campus in Tinton Falls.
The new 252-bed acute care hospital will be constructed in two towers, one dedicated to women and children’s services and the other to surgery. The facility will also have in-patient services. It’s expected to open in 2032.
There will still be a range of services available at Monmouth Medical after the move. The current labor and delivery unit will become a residential behavioral health unit. The hospital’s emergency department will remain.
The relocation plan has gotten mixed reactions. On Thursday, opponents repeatedly raised concerns about accessibility. The new hospital will be built about 20 minutes from the existing facility.
“You’re putting one more burden on people who can’t get around. I love the statement that was just made — it’s not that big a commute. My question is: for whom?" asked the Rev. Sue Mamchak, who said she doesn’t have a car and lives on a fixed income.
“It’s $18 to go from Long Branch to Tinton Falls,” Mamchak said. “Please, remember the impact of just the problem of getting there.”
A spokeswoman for RWJ Barnabas Health said Friday the proposal includes free rideshare service for those who need it.
Other speakers raised concerns about the impact the move would have on other hospitals in the region, such as Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City, Ocean University Medical Center in Brick and Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.
“The abrupt shift in population flow caused by Monmouth’s move would overwhelm hospitals never built to handle that surge, destabilizing the entire regional balance of care,” said Tim Hogan, president and CEO of Riverview Medical Center.
“For Riverview Medical Center, should this proposal go through in current form, we will have hard decisions to make, including whether it is viable to remain open,” Hogan told the State Health Planning Board Thursday.
But not everyone opposes the idea. There was a strong showing of support for the proposal Thursday from Monmouth Medical employees, members of the hospital’s board and others affiliated with the hospital. Many of them mentioned the need for updated facilities.
A majority of the hospital’s medical care is provided in buildings that predate 1970, with the oldest built in 1935, according to Carney, the hospital’s president and CEO.
On Thursday, Carney testified that an architectural assessment of the 13-acre campus completed in 2016 deemed the current location in Long Branch undesirable and near end of life for continued hospital operations.
“Should we stay in a building that will become eventually unusable or should we build with the future? My argument is we should go towards the future,” said Dr. Dmitry Oleynikov, chief of surgery at Monmouth Medical.
Other speakers suggested that Monmouth Medical pursue a third option that allows both the existing hospital and the future hospital to operate as licensed acute care facilities.
“It can’t be either/or,” said Bishop William Edwards of the Long Branch Church of God. “I believe it’s got to be both/and. Both sides make valid points.”
The move isn’t final yet.
The public can still submit comments to the State Health Planning Board via email through Nov. 20. The board will vote on a recommendation at its next meeting, on Dec. 4.
The board’s decision will then be submitted to the Acting Commissioner of Health Jeffrey A. Brown, who has the final say.
Corrie Francis Parks brings life to the inanimate through frame-by-frame manipulation of physical materials. With one hand under the camera and the other on the computer keyboard, her films and installations maintain an organic connection to traditional production methods while fully integrating digital technology. She is Associate Professor of Visual Arts at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Her book, Fluid Frames: Experimental Animation with Sand, Clay, Paint and Pixels, explores the tactile nature of moving malleable materi...
Corrie Francis Parks brings life to the inanimate through frame-by-frame manipulation of physical materials. With one hand under the camera and the other on the computer keyboard, her films and installations maintain an organic connection to traditional production methods while fully integrating digital technology. She is Associate Professor of Visual Arts at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Her book, Fluid Frames: Experimental Animation with Sand, Clay, Paint and Pixels, explores the tactile nature of moving malleable materials directly under the camera, bringing together traditional and digital workflow through interviews with contemporary animators and workshop-style exercises.
Artist Bio
Corrie Francis Parks is an inventor of animation techniques. Adopting an investigative studio practice where subject collides with substance, each project builds upon the discoveries made in the previous, making the arduous process of frame-by-frame creation engaging. The results of this studio research manifest not only in short films, but in expanded animation projects that involve projection mapping, site-specific installations, augmented reality and collage.
In addition to her award-winning short films, which have screened at Annecy, Hiroshima, Ottawa, Zagreb, and other major festivals around the world, Parks has created projection-based installations for Light City Baltimore (2016), International Media Art Biennial SEE DJERBA in Tunisia (2019), UnDARK Festival in Russia (2019), “The People’s Projector” at the Daniels & Fisher Tower in Denver (2021), and the Water Light Festival in Italy (2024).
Parks has been artist in residence at the MacDowell Colony, Bogliasco Foundation, subnet Austria, Fundación Valparaíso and Klondike Goldrush International Historic Park. She has received Fulbright Fellowships to New Zealand and Austria and is a recipient of a 2019 Maryland Individual Artist Award. Her book, Fluid Frames: Experimental Animation with Sand, Clay, Paint and Pixels (2016) explores the tactile nature of moving malleable materials directly under the camera, bringing together traditional and digital workflow through interviews with contemporary animators and workshop-style exercises.
Parks has been creating animation since her teenage years. She designed her own major in Animation at Dartmouth College (2001) and subsequently received her MFA in Animation and Digital Arts from University of Southern California (2006). She is now an Associate Professor of Visual Arts at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she encourages animation students to expand their understanding of the art of movement.
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3-minute readThey call it “modernization.” I call it what it is: abandonment. RWJBarnabas Health’s plan to strip Monmouth Medical Center of nearly all its vital services and move them out of Long Branch would take away the community’s safety net.Hospitals are lifelines — where children are born, where lives are saved and where a community’s sense of security begins. That’s why what’s happening to Monmouth Medical Center should alarm every resident of Monmouth County.Monm...
They call it “modernization.” I call it what it is: abandonment. RWJBarnabas Health’s plan to strip Monmouth Medical Center of nearly all its vital services and move them out of Long Branch would take away the community’s safety net.
Hospitals are lifelines — where children are born, where lives are saved and where a community’s sense of security begins. That’s why what’s happening to Monmouth Medical Center should alarm every resident of Monmouth County.
RWJBarnabas Health wants to move the hospital’s license from Long Branch to Fort Monmouth in Tinton Falls. On the surface, it’s presented as progress: a new, modern facility. But the truth is, this isn’t expansion — it’s a bait and switch that would gut Long Branch’s full-service hospital and leave the city with only a limited satellite emergency department, not a full hospital.
The original plan had broad community support: a new campus to complement existing services. But the revised proposal eliminates or relocates nearly everything that defines a hospital: the ICU and critical care units, all inpatient beds except behavioral health, maternity and birthing care, pediatrics, cardiac and stroke services and inpatient surgery.
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!The people of Long Branch are being told they’ll have access to care, but it will be miles away and harder to reach, with a ripple effect across the region’s healthcare system.
Who gets hurt the worst? Working families, seniors, the uninsured and the chronically ill — the people who rely on proximity and public transit to reach medical care. Expectant mothers will lose their birthing center. Heart and stroke patients will face longer trips when minutes matter. And many residents, already struggling to access transportation, will simply go without care.
We’ve seen this story before. When hospitals reduce services, preventable deaths rise and health disparities widen. Nearby hospitals, like Jersey Shore University Medical Center, are already near capacity and will be forced to absorb more patients, straining an already fragile system. Beyond Long Branch, the entire region’s healthcare system will suffer.
There’s no justification for this move. The Fort Monmouth site is actually closer to all four existing Monmouth County hospitals than the current Long Branch location, meaning there’s no demonstrated need. It’s not about better access. It’s about shifting services from an underserved to a wealthier community and putting profits over patients.
And the process has been just as troubling. The New Jersey Department of Health is treating this as a simple “relocation,” but under state law, a move that effectively closes one hospital and opens another should require a full Certificate of Need — the state’s safeguard to ensure hospitals are built only when medically necessary. The state hasn’t issued that call, and legally can’t until April 2026. Without it, this application shouldn’t move forward.
Even worse, the public has been systematically shut out. The first hearing was scheduled for Oct. 29 but had to be re-noticed for Nov. 13 because it was so rushed that they didn’t meet legal notice requirements. They also moved the location of the hearing from Long Branch — the community losing its hospital services — to Eatontown, five miles away. And it was being held from 4 to 6 p.m. on a weekday, when working families could not attend.
Every decision about timing and location is calculated to silence the voices of the people who will be most impacted. This is how communities lose their voice - and their hospitals.
Access to healthcare is not a privilege or a perk; it’s a matter of justice. Long Branch is one of Monmouth County’s most diverse, hard-working cities — home to immigrants, service workers and retirees who have built lives and raised families here.
I’ve spent my career fighting for fairness — in housing, education and access to justice — and I’ve seen what happens when decisions like this go unchallenged. Once a hospital leaves a community like Long Branch, it rarely returns.
The Department of Health must reject RWJBarnabas’s proposal. It’s inconsistent with the law, unsupported by data, and morally indefensible. If RWJBarnabas truly wants to modernize healthcare, it should invest in both facilities as it originally said it would do — not abandon one to build another.
To my neighbors: This is the moment to be heard. Speak out. Tell your stories. Demand that the state protect this community’s right to care close to home.
Because once a hospital’s doors close to inpatient care, they rarely open again. And a community without a full-service hospital is a community at risk.
Long Branch deserves the same dignity and access as every other town. Let’s raise our voices together and make sure Long Branch isn’t the next to lose what can’t be replaced.
Lazaro Cardenas, Esq., is managing partner of Patel & Cardenas, LLC in Freehold, New Jersey. He serves as director of the Latino Coalition of New Jersey and is co-founder of the Latino Festival of Monmouth County.
Game LeadersThu, October 30, 2025, 5:00pm 1 2 3 4 5 Final Long Branch (6-13) 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bayonne (13-7) 0 0 0 0 0 2 Player Stats Sets Played K B D...
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Branch (6-13) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bayonne (13-7) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sets Played | K | B | D | A | SP | Aces | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valentina Perez-Mora | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Luiza DeOliveira | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Imani Gillespie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Ingrid Pacheco | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Sofia Duran | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Lauren Maxwell | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nicoly Cordeiro | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhayanne Oliveira | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brittany Garcia-Mendoza | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals: | 18 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 6 | 13 | 2 |
RWJ also plans to relocate its award-winning labor & delivery department from Monmouth Medical Center to Tinton Falls:LONG BRANCH, NJ — RWJ Barnabas Health is asking for the state's approval to transfer the Monmouth Medical Center hospital license to a new hospital it is currently building in Tinton Falls.RWJ Barnabas is currently building the Vogel Medical Campus on 36 acres of the former Fort Monmouth U.S. Army base in Tinton Falls.That medical campus will include a 252-bed modern acute care hospital. If th...
LONG BRANCH, NJ — RWJ Barnabas Health is asking for the state's approval to transfer the Monmouth Medical Center hospital license to a new hospital it is currently building in Tinton Falls.
RWJ Barnabas is currently building the Vogel Medical Campus on 36 acres of the former Fort Monmouth U.S. Army base in Tinton Falls.
That medical campus will include a 252-bed modern acute care hospital. If the state approves it, RWJ plans to relocate several key services it offers at Monmouth Medical Center, including its award-winning labor & delivery department, to Tinton Falls.
This was confirmed Friday by the office of Gov. Phil Murphy.
Congressman Frank Pallone is fighting the move, which he warned will leave a "shell" of the current Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, and take away much-needed healthcare services for poor residents of Long Branch.
"Let me call this what this is: This is effectively a closure of the hospital in Long Branch and an abandonment of the underserved minority community, to move to an area where there are wealthier patients who can pay through private insurance," he said Friday, in this video released to the media.
The New Jersey Department of Health is currently reviewing an application from RWJ Barnabas to relocate Monmouth Medical Center's hospital license to its new Tinton Falls location. (State law does not allow for the creation of a second hospital under the same license.)
Pallone said it was "about a year ago" when RWJ Barnabas first submitted a plan to the state health commissioner to build a new medical campus in Tinton Falls.
"I didn't have a problem with that," said the congressman, who represents Long Branch. "Because they guaranteed me that while they would be transferring some services to the new hospital in Tinton Falls, that the Long Branch hospital would continue to function as an acute-care hospital. Meaning it would continue to have beds, an ICU and major surgery."
"That is now not the case."
Pallone warned that once Monmouth Medical Center loses its hospital license, it cannot operate as a true hospital.
"You won't be able to have a baby at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, which is one of the things it's been mainly known for. There's no more delivery, no more NICU ... It also means there will be no more medical/surgical beds. It's essentially an outpatient service center, no different than the one that's in Monmouth Mall," said the congressman. "You can't stay overnight; you can't have any major surgery. All that is left is an emergency department, and same-day outpatient services. That's it."
A spokeswoman for Gov. Murphy said — if the transfer goes through — an ER will still remain at Monmouth Medical Center, as well as certain inpatient and outpatient services.
“Congressman Pallone is entitled to his own views, but not his own facts," Maggie Garbarino, a spokeswoman for Gov. Murphy, said Friday. "RWJBarnabas Health has submitted a complete application to the New Jersey Department of Health to relocate a current hospital license to a new facility in the nearby community of Tinton Falls, while ensuring continuity of Emergency Department and certain inpatient and outpatient services in Long Branch. The Department plans to continue its evaluation process over the next few weeks.”
Under the proposed plan, here are all the services that will remain at Monmouth Medical Center: An emergency department, 24 beds for "observation" (not overnight stays); inpatient psychiatric beds; outpatient psychiatric services, an outpatient surgical center, imaging services and clinics.
When asked for this article, RWJ Barnabas said its Tinton Falls campus will be located just five miles away from Monmouth Medical Center, and said "the Long Branch campus will maintain critical emergency and behavioral health services, as well as overnight observation beds."
"The Long Branch campus will continue to provide essential emergency services, while the new acute care hospital in Tinton Falls, with its close proximity to the Garden State Parkway and other major roadways, will bring Monmouth Medical Center’s nationally recognized clinical care closer to more people we serve across the county and region," said Mary Anne Nagy, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees at Monmouth Medical Center.
RWJ Barnabas also said Friday it is making investments in Monmouth Medical Center, including updates to the patient care tower and the building’s façade, along with adding parking.
Pallone went even further: He predicted Friday that RWJ's eventual plan is to close Monmouth Medical Center entirely, and sell the hospital building to a developer.
RWJ Barnabas did not respond to the congressman's assertion.
"It's only a matter of time before they even close what's left," warned Pallone. "There are developers who want to take this land and put up luxury condominiums. I have absolutely no doubt that they're having conversations now with developers to sell."
The NJ Department of Health has 120 days to make a final decision on RWJ's request to transfer Monmouth Medical Center's hospital license to its new Tinton Falls facility. The next step is the state is required to hold public hearings on the license transfer.
"The governor is to blame. The health commissioner (currently acting NJ Health Commissioner Jeffrey Brown) is to blame," said Pallone. "They could have prevented this ... My fear is they are going to try to expedite this approval before the governor leaves office. RWJ Barnabas Health’s unacceptable abandonment of the Long Branch community calls into question the health system’s status as a non-profit hospital.”
In 2022, RWJ Barnabas paid $8 million to buy 36 acres from the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority, which controls all the land at Fort Monmouth. As Patch reported, RWJ Barnabas is building its new Vogel Medical Campus on those 36 acres.
The first part of the Vogel Medical Campus that will open will be a five-story, 150,000-square-foot cancer center, currently under construction at Pearl Harbor Avenue and Corregidor Road.
Pallone also warned that RWJ Barnabas opening in Tinton Falls will steal patients from Riverview Medical Center, owned by rival Hackensack Meridian. He said Riverview is "already struggling financially," and this will force Riverview to one day close, as well.
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