Overview of Assisted Living on Long Island and Queens
On Long Island there are about 85 Assisted Living communities. Every area of the country has different types of Assisted Living buildings - on Long Island most of the communities have around 75-90 apartments for seniors requiring some assistance with the activities of daily living, and many also have a special section of 25-35 additional apartments specifically designed for seniors with dementia. In other parts of the country, Assisted Living is delivered largely via 'care homes', which are private homes turned into Assisted Living facilities for 4-10 seniors. While these smaller care homes have some good features, the services that can be delivered in a building serving 100 people are generally superior to the services that can be assembled to serve a half dozen.
Many seniors in Assisted Living require little to no personal care, and others may receive extensive daily care with dressing, showering, ambulation, etc. Services generally offered in all area Assisted Living communities include meal prep and delivery in a common dining room, a variety of daily activities, a provision for religious services, and visiting physicians.
On Long Island there are three businesses which together deliver over half of the area's Assisted Living services.
Atria Senior Living
Atria's is one of the country's largest providers of Assisted Living and similar services. On Long Island and in Queens, Atria operates 14 communities. These include several specialty communities - Atria Kew Gardens is a Kosher community, the Atria Park communities in Lynbrook and Great Neck have Enhanced Licenses and serve seniors with higher levels of need, and the Atria communities in Rosyln and Hertlin Place are Independent communities.
The Bristal
The Bristal organization, a local Long Island company, also offers Assisted Living in 14 communities on Long Island and Queens, with a 15th community soon to open in Bethpage. A majority of the Bristal communities have won an Enhanced license from NY State, enabling residents to age in place, and all have a Memory section within the building. One special Bristal community is in Lake Success, which exclusively offers care for seniors with dementia and the physical challenges often associated with dementia. Another is Encore Luxury Living, an independent community in Jericho. Two Bristal communities, in Westbury and Lynbrook, now offer a limited number of Medicaid beds, too. In addition to Long Island communities, Bristal operates Assisted Living in other parts of the NY Metro area and in Florida.
Sunrise Senior Living
The family that controls Sunrise is given credit by many for starting Assisted Living in the United States. Roughly 25 years ago this family was looking for a place to care for their mother. All they found were nursing homes, which then as now best served seniors with advanced physical needs. So following a model that was used a bit in Europe and their own good sense, they created the Sunrise group of Assisted Living communities. There are 11 Sunrise communities on Long Island, and several hundred nationwide. Most of the local Sunrise communities are built in a distinction "mansion" style. They serve seniors with needs for basic and more advanced ADL support needs, as well as seniors with dementia.
There are other local and regional companies operating Assisted Living communities on Long Island. Some of them are:
- More than 10 communities which are part of the NY Assisted Living Program - the NY-ALP system. These communities accept Medicaid for some charges within the community.
- The Arbors Assisted Living Communities offers an All-Inclusive pricing model at their four Long Island communities, including a Memory only section of their Islandia community.
- The regional company Chelsea operates a combination of Assisted and Independent communities, including a new combination Independent/Assisted community in Yaphank.
- The regional company Benchmark operates two Assisted communities on Long Island.
- The regional company Brandywine operates two Assisted communities and an Independent community.
- Life Care Services offers Assisted and Memory services at two communities.
- The regional company Brightview operates a rather unique Independent/Assisted/Memory community in Sayville, and they are completing construction on a second building in the Port Jefferson area.
- Other notable Assisted communities are Oyster Bay Manor, The Regency, All American Assisted Living, and the Christian Fellowship Home.
Cost of Assisted Living on Long Island
There is a wide range of charges for Assisted Living on Long Island, and there are two ways that communities charge for this work. The traditional model to present the family with two, perhaps three categories of cost. The first is termed 'Rent", which covers the cost of the apartment, food, activities, apartment cleaning, and laundry. Rent is a fixed charge each month. The second category is called "Care", and it covers assistance with the Activities of Daily Living, like dressing, showering, and toileting. This charge typically is charged based on a care level, so it might be something like $500, $1,250, $2,000 or more a month. A third and important area of care is called Medication Management, and some communities charge for this separately. Communities that charge in this manner might present a total bill to a family from $6,800 - $12,000 a month.
The second method of charging for Assisted Living is a single charge covering Rent, Care, and Medication Management. This type of 'all-inclusive' cost model is gaining momentum on Long Island. The Arbors pioneered this approach and remain its leading proponent. While some communities have some small exclusions under this model, the communities that charge in an 'All-Inclusive" manner range from $5,500 - $7,000 a month.
Assisted Living communities on Long Island are filling up. Some are implementing wait lists for the most desirable apartments. The 'dip' in Assisted Living placement caused by Covid is definitely over.
Ask Mike McClernon to develop options for your loved one that best fit your senior's care, location, and cost needs.
Contact Mike today at 516-254-9481 or mikem@assistedlivinglocators.com to explore Senior Living Community options for the older person in your life. His phone is always on!