The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Buffalo, NY for 2024

Of the 276,807 people who live in Buffalo, NY, 12.9% are 65 years of age or up. That demographic is vulnerable to cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, which affects millions of Americans and many Buffalo residents. Per the CDC, in Buffalo, the number of Alzheimer’s-related deaths rose from 203 in 2016 to 278 in 2020, an increase of 36.95%. By comparison, total deaths increased by only 15.45%.

To meet the need for dementia care, Buffalo’s memory care communities offer havens for seniors with memory loss. Around-the-clock staff undergo specialized training that teaches them how to tend to the needs of memory care residents. Intellectually engaging programming and security features are common round out the services provided. This guide covers the costs seniors can expect to pay for memory care in Buffalo, what retirement living in Buffalo is like and resources for the city’s older residents.

The New York State Department of Health oversees all assisted living, including memory care, in Buffalo and the rest of the state. The department issues licensing and regulates a variety of types of adult care facilities. Memory care providers need an additional Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR) certification in Buffalo.

• Seniors can find transportation options through the Amherst Senior Transportation Services and Erie County Senior Services, which serve Buffalo and surrounding areas. The city also has general public transportation options seniors can use to get to appointments, events and stores. 
• The cost of living in Buffalo is 4% lower than the national average. The cost of utilities and groceries is 5% lower than in a typical U.S. city. However, housing costs are 2% higher than the national average.
• Buffalo gets an average of 85 inches of snow annually compared to the national average of 25 inches. The temperature also regularly drops into the teens in Buffalo in the winter. The cold Buffalo weather might affect seniors’ ability to get to appointments or enjoy outdoor events.
• Buffalo’s air quality is rated at 32, which is considered good. Air quality ratings at or under 100 are safe. Good air quality may be an important factor for seniors with respiratory issues.
• The crime rate in Buffalo is more than double the average for New York. Because most memory care facilities have safety measures in place such as secure entrances, video surveillance, alarms and security staff, residents aren’t as likely as regular citizens to be affected by crime in the area.

Note: Residential memory care is usually offered in assisted living facilities, and in general, memory care rates tend to be 20-30% higher than assisted living rates. No national database currently tracks memory care costs in the United States, so we’ve estimated the monthly memory care costs listed below by adding 25% to the rates listed in Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

Memory care costs an average of $5,926 per month in Buffalo, slightly higher than the state average of $5,725 and the national average of $5,625.

Memory care costs in Buffalo are only $301 higher than the national average, while several other cities in New York are much higher. For example, monthly memory care expenses in Elmira average $7,000, and memory care in Albany costs an average of $6,586. Binghamton’s average comes in a little lower than Buffalo’s at $5,746. Many New York cities fall closer to the United States average, and the state’s overall average is $5,725.

Memory care in Buffalo is more expensive than certain other care options, such as adult day health care, which costs an average of $1,170, and assisted living, which averages $4,741. Home health care is also less expensive on average at $5,053, and in-home care costs a little less than that at $4,957. On the other hand, nursing home facilities are substantially more expensive, costing an average of $12,994 for a semiprivate room.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for memory care, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance memory care costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance memory care, visit our Memory Care in New York page.