Seniors who want supportive services, a social environment, or assistance with daily activities often choose to live in assisted living.   Assisted living combines residential and supervision services with some health care services.  Most assisted livings do not accept any goverment subsidies, such as Medicare or Medicaid, and the vast majority of seniors must pay privately for the services and care they recieive.  Because private pay rates in New York can average between $3000 to $6000 a month, most seniors cannot afford this form of housing.

In New York, an assisted living program must provide housing, on-site monitoring, and personal care/home care services in a facility for five or more adults. Generally, it includes meals, 24 hour on-site monitoring, case management and an individualized service plan for each resident.

Historically, assisted living facilities in New York were private market programs with little government oversight.  Only since 2005 has New York required assisted living programs to be licensed by the Department of Health.  The transition to licensed facilities continues but there are now regulations. Click here to view a copy of the adopted regulations.

Assisted living facilities must offer a written admission agreement that clearly states and protects resident rights and responsibilities and must provide information about the facility's ownership, license, certification, and payment options as well as the ombudsmen's number, and the Department of Health complaint number.