The Actors Fund Home Is for Everyone in Performing Arts and Entertainment — and News

The Actors Fund Home, owned and operated by The Actors Fund, is a gold-standard facility in Englewood, New Jersey, featuring assisted living, skilled nursing (which includes Broadway on Hudson, an accredited dementia care unit) and the Shubert Pavilion, a newly opened sub-acute rehab facility. Coming by the end of 2018 is a new memory care unit. These new facilities received part of their funding from the SAG-AFTRA Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund.

After speaking with members who don’t know anything about The Actors Fund Home or who in their family might be eligible, I don’t want to bury the lead, so:

Who can apply? If you are a member, you can! Generally, an applicant over 60 years of age should have a minimum of 20 years of work within the industry with annual earnings of at least $2,000 for 10 out of those 20 years. That means of course actors, but also directors, news writers and reporters, movie prop makers, recording artists, designers, sound technicians and — wonderfully — their spouses, domestic partners, parents and siblings are eligible for admission based on the employment history of an eligible family member.

Named as one of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Nursing Homes in America and rated 5 stars by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Home accepts Medicare for short-term rehabilitation, as well as New Jersey Medicaid and private pay options for long-term care. The admission process for short-term rehab care comes after a hospital stay or surgery, with the goal of returning home after rehab is completed. Admission for long-term care is different and there is a waiting list (so don’t wait!). If needed, during the application process you will work with the team at the Home to submit documents so that New Jersey Medicaid may be applied for on your behalf. (Requirements for New York Medicaid and New Jersey Medicaid are different.) The bottom line is this: The Actors Fund is here to help during all phases of your life. 

Contact Laura White, director of admissions at The Actors Fund Home, at lwhite@actorsfund.org with questions. Laura and the rest of the staff at the Home are an amazing collection of warm and compassionate folks. Take a virtual tour of the new Shubert Pavilion with the fabulous Brian Stokes Mitchell, chairman of The Actors Fund, as your guide on its website at actorsfund.org/TheHome. 

Photo by Don Pearse Photographers Inc.