Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions Erie and Niagara County families ask most often about senior care licensing, costs, Medicaid, and advocacy — every answer sourced against New York's own rules, not another state's.
Browse by topic below, or use the search in your browser (Ctrl/Cmd+F) to jump to a specific question. If you don't see your question answered here, Eileen can walk through your family's specific situation for free.
Regulation & Licensing
- What does New York actually license when a place calls itself "assisted living" in the Buffalo area?
- What is the difference between an Enhanced Assisted Living Residence (EALR) and a Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR)?
- How do I check whether a Buffalo or Niagara-area facility has any open violations or inspection findings?
- Does New York require assisted living communities to disclose their rates and fee increases in writing?
- Are online reviews a reliable way to judge a Buffalo-area senior care community?
- Who do I call to file a complaint against a licensed senior care facility in Erie or Niagara County?
Costs
- What does assisted living actually cost in New York State?
- What does a nursing home cost in the Buffalo area?
- How much does memory care cost in Buffalo or Western New York?
- How much does in-home care cost in Erie and Niagara counties?
- What is VA Aid and Attendance, and how much does it pay?
- What happens financially when a family runs out of money to pay privately for care?
- Is there a state benefit in New York that pays the full cost of assisted living?
Medicaid
- What is New York's Assisted Living Program (ALP), and how is it different from a nursing home Medicaid waiver?
- What is the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) waiver, and who qualifies?
- What is CDPAP, and can I get paid to care for a family member in New York?
- What is Managed Long Term Care (MLTC), and is it mandatory?
- Did New York's 2014 Medicaid expansion change anything for senior long-term care eligibility?
- Does Medicaid ever try to recover money from a family after a senior on Medicaid passes away?
Advocacy & Resident Rights
- What does New York's Long Term Care Ombudsman actually do, and is it really free?
- How do I report suspected abuse or neglect of an older adult in Erie County?
- How do I report suspected abuse or neglect of an older adult in Niagara County?
- What is the difference between calling Adult Protective Services and calling the Long Term Care Ombudsman?
- Can a facility retaliate against a resident for filing a complaint in New York?
Common Situations
- My parent just fell and was hospitalized in Buffalo — what should I do about long-term care in the next 48 hours?
- How does discharge planning work differently between Kaleida Health, Catholic Health, and Erie County Medical Center?
- My parent was just diagnosed with dementia — what should our family actually do first?
- How do I manage care for a parent in Buffalo when I live in another state?
- How do I choose between two assisted living communities in the Buffalo area that seem similar?
- What happens if my parent's needs eventually exceed what their current community's license allows?
Erie & Niagara Counties
- What's the difference between Erie County and Niagara County for senior care planning?
- Is North Tonawanda in Erie County or Niagara County?
- Does it matter which county a facility is in if I'm comparing options across the Buffalo metro?
Comparing Care Types
- What's the real difference between assisted living and memory care in New York?
- What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home in New York?
- Is in-home care a realistic alternative to assisted living for a Buffalo-area family?
- What's the difference between independent living and assisted living?
- What's the difference between New York's Assisted Living Program (ALP) and just paying privately for assisted living?
- What's the difference between an Adult Home and an Assisted Living Residence (ALR) in New York?
