10 Best Nursing Homes in Manhattan, NY

The local average cost of skilled nursing facilities is $12,471 per month within the entire metropolitan area of New York City.^[01] Manhattan nursing homes are likely more expensive than this figure, because costs of living in Manhattan are higher than other the five New York City boroughs.

Skilled nursing home costs often include the following in the monthly rate:

• Room and board
• 24/7 skilled medical care and oversight
• Case management
• Medical equipment
• Transportation to off-site medical appointments
• Rehabilitative therapies
• On-site amenities
• Planned on-site social activities

Even though we don’t partner with standalone nursing homes, all of our Manhattan partner assisted living communities offer part-time nursing care services to their current residents. For instance, 60% of our partner care communities provide medication management and on-site rehabilitative or hospice services.

In this guide, we highlight cost information from our Manhattan assisted living and memory care partners. Seniors who don’t currently require 24/7 skilled nursing care may actually benefit more from these types of facilities.

Assisted living facilities are more ideal for seniors who wish to exercise their independence while still receiving daily help, and they usually cost much less than skilled nursing homes. The monthly cost of our partner assisted living facilities typically includes the following features:

• Room and board
• Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs)
• On-site amenities and planned activities

Memory care communities are a type of assisted living facility that provide specialized care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. While usually more expensive than assisted living care, memory care costs less than skilled nursing. The monthly cost often includes the following features:

• Room and board
• Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs)
• On-site amenities and activities
• Highly trained memory care staff
• Specialized modifications and therapies for memory challenges

Assisted living communities typically provide more amenities and services than skilled nursing homes, for more independent and active seniors. We partner with these communities in the Manhattan area, with the 2023 monthly average costs being approximately $15,000 for assisted living and $19,400 for memory care, according to our proprietary data.^[02]

How Manhattan senior care costs compare to other boroughs

Senior living in Manhattan is the most expensive when compared to all of New York City’s boroughs. On average, seniors and their families can expect to pay at least $8,000 more per month for a Manhattan senior care community when compared to Brooklyn and other boroughs.^[02]

Below are our approximate 2023 proprietary figures to give you a comparison of the monthly senior living costs per New York City borough:^[02]

Manhattan
$15,000 for assisted living
$19,400 for memory care

Brooklyn
$6,400 for assisted living
$9,000 for memory care

Queens
$4,400 for assisted living
$7,800 for memory care

The Bronx
$6,400 for assisted living
$10,700 for memory care

Staten Island
$6,700 for assisted living
$11,000 for memory care

Many families look to their private pay options first to cover senior living costs in Manhattan. These options can include retirement pensions, savings accounts, Social Security benefits, and investment returns. The following options also fall under the private pay category and may also be worth consideration:

• Selling a home
• Taking out a reverse mortgage
• Borrowing from a life insurance policy
• Using funds from a health savings accounts (HSA)
• Using long-term care insurance

Other options for covering senior care costs are public payment methods for families that qualify. These can include Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, Medicare, and Medicaid. You can read more about each public pay option below. If you’d like more detailed information on any of these public payment methods, we recommend also reading the payment section of our New York City page or our guide to paying for long-term care.

Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits

Around 23,400 veterans live in Manhattan, and nearly 8,900 are age 75 or older.^[03] You’ll find many local resources and veterans service organizations (VSOs) that can help veterans and their spouses access their eligible benefits.

To find Manhattan VSOs that can help veterans make the most of their eligible benefits, you can check out the following offices:

NYC Department of Veterans’ Services
1 Center St.
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212-416-5250
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Manhattan, NY Vet Center
519 8th Ave., Suite 2401
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212-951-6866
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Medicare and Medicaid for nursing homes in Manhattan

Both Medicare and Medicaid may cover some skilled nursing care or nursing home costs in Manhattan. Continue reading for detailed information about each option.

Medicare in Manhattan

Medicare is a federally funded health care insurance program available to seniors age 65+. Coverage for nursing homes, or skilled nursing facilities, is limited to a maximum of 100 days. For the first 20 days, all expenses are covered. After that, Medicare only provides partial coverage up to the 100 day limit.

While Medicare doesn’t cover the cost of Manhattan senior living room and board, it may cover medical care costs related to long-term care. Examples of these costs include medical appointments and prescriptions.

Medicare also has specific programs that may help you or your loved one save money on prescriptions. To learn more about Medicare Savings Programs in Manhattan, check out the following:

• New York State’s consumer guide to community-based long term care
• Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program

For in-person Medicare assistance, use the Social Security Office Locator to find the nearest Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Manhattan. You’ll need to enter the ZIP code and click on “I Need Other Services” to get started with your search.

Medicaid in Manhattan

Medicaid is a state-run health insurance program for people with low-income status. Your local program is called New York Medicaid. If a senior meets the following criteria for the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) program, some of their nursing home costs may be covered:

• The senior requires a skilled nursing level of care.
• The senior is at least 65 years old.
• The senior is eligible for community-based Medicaid.

Although New York Medicaid won’t cover the costs of rent and meals in private assisted living communities, some care expenses can be covered if a senior is eligible for the New York Assisted Living Program (ALP). The cost of long-term care services in assisted living communities is covered under this program, as long as the senior requires skilled nursing care. Instead of moving into a skilled nursing facility to receive help, the ALP can help seniors cover the following services in an assisted living community:

• Nursing and supervision
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapies
• Medical supplies and equipment
• Case management services
• Access to registered professional nurses
• Emergency response services
• Home health aides and services
• Personal care
• Room and board

Contact the Manhattan offices below to apply for and obtain Medicaid benefits. Be sure to call before visiting either office to check if they’re open and to see if an appointment is required:

Chinatown
115 Chrystie St., Fifth Floor
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212-334-6114
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Dyckman Community
4055 10th Ave., Lower Level
New York, NY 10034
Phone: 929-221-3244
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

In Manhattan, all skilled nursing, assisted living, and memory care facilities are licensed and regulated by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). Browse the sections below to learn more about the regulations for the type of long-term care you or your elderly family member might need. For even more information on related regulations in NYC, visit our NYC nursing homes page.

Nursing home regulations in New York

The NYSDOH’s Board of Examiners and Nursing Home Administrators (BENHA) is responsible for licensing Manhattan’s nursing homes. NYSDOH also has a list of nursing home resident rights to be aware of, in addition to baseline services that must be provided to all seniors. Some of those baseline services a nursing home must provide are as follows:

• Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs)
• Scheduled activities and programs
• Adequate staffing
• Clean and safe living quarters
• 24-hour daily skilled nursing care
• Diagnostic and dietary services
• Specialized therapies, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies

Assisted living and memory care regulations in New York

Both assisted living and memory care communities fall under the NYSDOH’s adult care facility category. Each type of community is required to have an Assisted Living Residence (ALR) license, and memory care communities must have a Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR) license.

Please note NYSDOH’s rights of assisted living residents. Rights include assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and visits from loved ones.

Inspections for nursing homes and senior care facilities in New York

Annual inspections are done on all licensed assisted living and memory care communities. The inspections are carried out by the Adult Care Facilities division of the NYSDOH. To find inspection dates, violations, and corrective actions on a specific facility, check out the following search tools:

• Nursing homes: NYS nursing home profiles search tool
• Assisted living and memory care facilities: Adult care facilities search tool

Manhattan boasts New York City’s upscale, densely populated hub of entertainment. This chic New York borough is home an array of attractions closely tied to the heart of the city, from Times Square to Central Park. Manhattan’s nursing home and senior living offerings add a touch of glamour to a senior’s transition, like luxury assisted living apartments with high-end, upscale interiors.

Browse the sections below to learn more about the types of senior living and care communities you can find in Manhattan.

Nursing homes for 24-hour medical care

Nursing homes, or skilled nursing facilities, are best suited for seniors who have significant health concerns that must be addressed with 24-hour medical care and supervision. You can expect the following care services from Manhattan’s skilled nursing facilities:

• Medical services such as respiratory care, wound care, and injection administration
• Medication management
• Hospice care and palliative care
• Rehabilitation services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Housekeeping and laundry
• Organized activities
• Meals

A Place for Mom doesn’t partner with standalone nursing facilities, though all of our partners offer access to on-site nursing care services to current residents recovering from illness, injury, or surgery. Most of our partners may also provide hospice nursing care on-site. Read on for helpful information on our partner assisted living and memory care communities, for seniors who don’t currently need 24/7 medical care and oversight.

Assisted living and memory care for daily support

Seniors who don’t require 24/7 skilled medical care but want daily assistance and socialization with peers may find what they need in an assisted living or a memory care community. In our network of senior care facilities in New York’s five boroughs, Manhattan has the second-most, coming in just behind Brooklyn. About 60% of our partner Manhattan communities also offer both assisted living and memory care, while the remaining 40% only offer assisted living.

Memory care communities are a specialized kind of assisted living, designed for seniors who have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. The challenges that come with these conditions are met with intentional memory care design, supportive modifications to the environment, and highly trained memory care staff.

Both types of communities in our network offer the following baseline services:

• Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as personal hygiene and mealtimes
• Dining services and snacks
• Housekeeping and laundry
• Complimentary or at-cost transportation services
• Planned social activities

You can also expect to find the following on-site amenities at most of our partner communities:

• Group activity rooms
• Beauty salons and barber shops
• Fitness centers
• Libraries and business centers
• Movie or theater rooms

In addition, 100% of our partner assisted living and memory care communities provide on-site skilled nursing services to accommodate seniors’ changing needs.

Manhattan’s seniors have access to several general hospitals, including one of the top hospitals in the United States. See the two examples below for locations near our partner communities.^[04]

• Mount Sinai Morningside. As one of the best hospitals in the nation, this general hospital has a Level 2 trauma center and is ranked No. 16 in the nation for cardiology. It also ranks among the top 50 hospitals for geriatric care, making it a reliable choice for local seniors.
• NYC Health + Hospitals — Metropolitan. This community hospital is connected with the New York Medical College and provides geriatric care, pain management, and other specialized medical treatments. It ranks has high performing in care for heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

All of our Manhattan assisted living and memory care partner communities provide either complimentary or at-cost transportation services to residents.^[02]

Senior living community transportation services often provide peace of mind to seniors and their families, as these services are a safe and reliable way for seniors to get around Manhattan. If a senior’s visitors require transportation, New York City Transit has schedules and maps for the nearest bus routes and subway stations.

As New York City’s smallest borough, Manhattan brings the most to the table. There are several senior-friendly options among Manhattan’s most popular attractions, so seniors and their visiting loved ones can maximize their time together. We’ve curated a small list of just a few of the family and senior-favored activities of the area:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) was founded in 1870 and has since been filled with curated collections of art from around the world. Seniors get discounted admission tickets, although those in wheelchairs may not be able to access the entire museum. You can also access the MET virtually from the comforts of a senior living community.
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has collections dating back to the 1880s. Nestled just a couple blocks away from Rockefeller Center, this museum offers discounted rates for people with disabilities. It’s also wheelchair accessible.
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts hosts performers from around the world. From live theater and opera to music and dance, there’s something for everyone here. Assistive listening devices, accessible seating, and access concierges are available.
• Central Park is world-famous for its views, events, performance centers, and more. Here is a useful Central Park access map with information on its trails and playgrounds.