49 assisted living communities near New York

What is Assisted Living?

An assisted living community is a residence for seniors who need help with the activities of daily living (ADLs) — activities such as bathing, dressing, eating and so on. Seniors in assisted living are encouraged to stay social and independent as much as possible. Because they're living in a community, they have many more opportunities for social interaction than they would living alone.

Assisted living communities typically offer exercise programs, social activities and day trips into the local community to help seniors stay active. These activities are of great value to seniors, with studies showing that they have a positive impact and help seniors stay healthy as they age. Many assisted living communities also provide residents with transportation to medical appointments.

Seniors can expect more than help with the ADLs at an assisted living community. Housekeeping chores are handled by the staff, who also help with medication management. Three healthy, well-balanced meals are served each day, so seniors don't have to handle the chores of cooking. In addition, nonmedical care is provided 24/7, and some medical care is also typically available. Seniors are able to take advantage of all this within a residential community that helps them feel at home.

Services Available in Assisted Living Communities in New York

Residents at an assisted living community in New York can expect all the help they need with ADLs, and the staff will usually help with medication management. Residents don't have to handle their own housekeeping or personal laundry, and staff also keep bed linens clean and changed.

Meals are also provided in an assisted living community, typically in a shared dining hall, where residents can enjoy social time as they dine. Most assisted living communities can accommodate the varying dietary needs of residents, and many offer a wide variety of meal choices. In addition, some larger facilities offer snack bars or cafes during non-meal hours.

Transportation is often available to medical appointments or to help residents run errands. In addition, many New York assisted living communities take full advantage of their location in the most exciting city in the world, arranging excursions for shopping, banking and library visits, afternoons at Broadway matinees, or day trips to Long Island or the Jersey Shore. Some assisted living communities also offer ample on-site amenities such as game rooms, media rooms and beauty salons.

Getting Ready to Move to Assisted Living In New York

In most cases, your loved one will have to undergo a couple of simple evaluations before joining an assisted living community. The first one involves a visit to your loved one's personal physician, who will review physical and mental condition to make sure an assisted living community is the right choice. The doctor also provides all the information the assisted living community might need — any special dietary needs, all current therapies or medical conditions, and a list of current medications.

Next, the assisted living community staff will meet with your loved one to determine how much help they need with the ADLs. Here, they're making sure that the facility is a good fit and can provide all the services required. If it's not a good match, the staff will probably be able to recommend another nearby assisted living community that can meet your loved one's needs.

Costs Associated with Assisted Living in New York

While New York can admittedly be an expensive city, assisted living communities are available across a wide pricing spectrum. Posh facilities that might easily be confused with a high-end hotel can run in the range of $10,000 per month, but more basic — and still highly livable — communities open their doors to residents in the neighborhood of $2,000 per month.

Many people find that when they break down their loved one's current expenses — rent, utilities, food, medical care and other basics — the cost of assisted living is actually extremely reasonable. Remember, those fees don't just cover rent. They also include all meals, housekeeping, laundry services and personal care to help with the ADLs. Included in that cost are also the amenities of the residential community, which may include social activities or a gym.

Look for a basic assisted living community if your loved one wouldn't be interested in all the extras and amenities that might run the price up. You can save even more money by opting for a shared room. These basic communities provide all the needed care and meals in a comfortable environment with well-trained staff on hand.

As for those more lavish, resort-style communities? You can expect the best on the high end of the payment options — large apartments that are elegantly appointed with pools or gyms. Residents at these communities often can take advantage of on-site medical care thanks to visits from physical therapists, occupational therapists and podiatrists, to name a few. They also enjoy customized meal plans that cater to their preferences.

In the middle of the spectrum are a wide array of boutique assisted living communities that combine home-style comfort with excellent care. In these communities, your loved one is likely to have a private apartment or room and a good range of meal choices. Look for a community that features the amenities your loved one is mostly likely to respond to, whether it's an exercise program or a book club.

When you work with our Seniorly Guides to find a home to love, this is always a free service for families. The Seniorly Guide is compensated directly from the community you eventually select in New York.

Assisted Living vs. Other Types of Senior Care

Seniors have many different types of residential care available to them, and assisted living sits right in the middle of a continuum of care. Those seniors who don't require any assistance with the ADLs might be very happy in an independent living community, while skilled nursing facilities are available to seniors who have more significant medical needs.

In an independent living community, seniors often own their homes and spend their time enjoying retirement. They handle their own meals, housekeeping, and medical and personal care. Many independent living communities host amenities that let seniors stay active and social.

On the other end of the spectrum, skilled nursing facilities, or nursing homes, provide medical care around the clock to seniors who need it. Many of the residents here aren't physically active, and often they have medical issues that require close attention 24/7.

Assisted living is a balance between these two options. Seniors can enjoy their independence while still receiving the personal care they need, and they're freed up from the need to handle chores such as housekeeping, cooking, and laundry.

Helpful Apps and Websites for Assisted Living in New York

New York is filled with services designed to make life easier and more convenient for city residents, and they're also helpful for seniors in assisted living. To get a glimpse of these services, here are a few out of the many delivery apps that New York has to offer:

• Amazon Prime Now can deliver almost anything item you might need right to your door within hours.
• GlamSquad will show up whenever you need a haircut or manicure.
• FancyHands is an errand-running service in which you can send someone to the shops or pick up needed items from a loved one.
• Wag, the walking service for your pet, connects you with dog walkers and ensures your furry friend can get outside even when you cannot.

Connecting with these services via your smartphone gives your loved one more time to enjoy life.

Resources for Caregivers in New York

Resources abound in New York City to help caregivers who are spending so much time helping their loved ones that they neglect their self-care. Whether you're looking for informational resources, support groups, respite care or advocacy programs, you'll find a helping hand ready and waiting.

• The New York Elder Caregiver Support Program: This offers a wide range of support services
• Kinship Navigator: This helps answer legal and other informational questions and acts as an advocacy program for kinship caregivers
• The Alzheimer’s Association: This organization is on hand to help with issues and questions specific to memory care

Government Resources for Seniors in New York

The New York State Office for the Aging stands ready to help seniors, their families, and their caregivers, with the goal of keeping seniors as independent as possible for as long as possible. Programs are in place to help with caregiver resources, housing, emergency preparedness, elder abuse and transportation.

New York City's Department for the Aging also helps seniors connect with almost 90 programs designed to help with their aging-related concerns through its Age-Friendly NYC initiative. Programs include home care, caregiver support, senior centers, and adult day care, as well as support for LGBTQ seniors, elder abuse victims, homebound seniors, and those living in social isolation.

New York Demographics

With more than 8.5 million residents spread across its five boroughs, New York far outstrips every other city in the United States in size, and it's the most densely packed city in the country as well. New York is at the heart of the United States’ and the world’s economy, and it's an industry capital in tech, science, entertainment, education, art and media. With about 800 languages spoken in the city, it's a truly international city, and it also experiences extreme income diversity. The population is expected to continue increasing through 2040, with the largest growth occurring in The Bronx.

New York Weather

New York's weather ranges from warm and muggy in the summer to cold with regular snow during the winter. While rain can fall at any time of the year, summer brings clear skies, and spring and fall are often cool and crisp.

Transportation in and Around New York

New York's public transportation is efficient and reliable, covering almost every inch of the city. Hop on a bus for short trips, take a subway from borough to borough, or float to Staten Island on the ferry. Taxis also fill the streets, especially in Manhattan, and ferries also connect Manhattan to Brooklyn, Queens, and New Jersey.

Fun Facts About New York

Did you know that it's against the law to honk your car's horn in New York unless it's an emergency? (Apparently, no one actually driving knows about this law, either.) New York is filled with urban parks — the largest obviously being Central Park — but one of the most popular is the High Line, an elevated walkway of greenery and public art that runs above the city streets in lower Manhattan.