The Best Communities in Suffolk County, NY

Suffolk County, located at the mouth of the Hudson River in the southeast corner of New York, is home to 1,493,350 people, with more than 13% of those residents being seniors who are at least 65 years of age. With so many seniors residing in the county, it stands to reason that some of them may be among the 400,000 people in New York State with cognitive impairments like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Suffolk County has 16 memory care facilities to care for and house these seniors.

In Suffolk County and all of New York, memory care facilities are known as adult homes, enriched housing programs and assisted living residences, depending upon the level of care provided. All of these facilities are licensed and overseen by New York’s Department of Health.

• Suffolk County seniors may find allocating money toward their memory care budgets easier because of New York’s moderately tax-friendly laws. Retirement savings account income and pensions are partially taxed, and Social Security benefits aren’t taxed at all.
• Seniors with restrictive budgets may find that memory care in Suffolk County is beyond their means. The county’s cost of living is 139.8, almost 10 points higher than the state average of 129.4, and nearly 40 points higher than the U.S. average of 100. Healthcare expenses are slightly below both state and national averages at 98.7, but groceries, transportation and housing are all more expensive than both the New York and the U.S. averages.
• Seniors can feel safe in Suffolk County due to the low crime rates, but it’s always a good idea to ensure that prospective facilities have safety precautions in place such as alarms and security cameras. The county’s violent crime rate is 8.2, and the property crime rate is 23.1, both significantly lower than the U.S. averages of 22.7 and 35.4, respectively.
• Seniors in Suffolk County enjoy watching the seasons change with temperatures varying between 82 and 23 degrees, which might be good news to seniors who enjoy snowfalls and sunshine.

Note: Data reported on this page was updated in 2019 and based on the latest 2018 figures. 

Memory Care costs in Suffolk County start around $8,851 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,694 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Suffolk County and the surrounding suburbs can vary widely based on factors such as location, the level of care needed, apartment size and the types of amenities offered at each community.

Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Memory Care in New York page.

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.

Suffolk County-area memory care communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all memory care communities in New York are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in New York page for more information about these laws.