Homes Away From Home
10 senior residences in Manhattan offering a range of services from independent living to memory care
ATRIA WEST 86
333 West 86th St
212-791-0200
Type: Independent, Assisted Living
Facilities: 150 apartments
Studio, starting at $6,400; One bedroom, starting at $10,700; Two bedroom, starting at $18,600
Opening more than 20 years ago, Atria West 86th has made it easier for active, older New Yorkers to live the cultural and artistic hear of the city surrounded by nearby Riverside Park, Central Park, and not too far from Lincoln Center in the 60s and Symphony Space in the 90s. Atria 86’s 21-story residential apartment building was converted to an independent supportive senior living community. With Art Deco finishes, beamed ceiling, a rooftop terrace with a panoramic view of Manhattan makes Atria 86 the quintessential community for active and engaged seniors who want the accessibility of the city and the quietude when coming home.
At Atria 86, residents get to live independently and get to enjoy the comforts of having housekeeping, laundry, and chef-prepared meals taken care of and being able to be part of a community of contemporaries. Residents enjoy independent hotel-style living and, if needed, Supportive Living Care Services are available at an additional monthly fee, which is based on the number of hours required.
At Atria, 50% of the residents do not require personal care services. Rates include 24-hour staff, chef-prepared meals, an events calendar, apartment maintenance, scheduled transportation, housekeeping service, utilities, emergency alert system.
There are three on-site dining venues, including a full-service restaurant, a casual bistro, and a cafe for some morning joe and maybe some danish, and returning in the late afternoon for some wine at Happy Hour. Atria’s monthly activities and events calendar is posted and printed calendars are available. Residents can plan for nightly movies, programs and events covering such topics as health and physical fitness, learning and intellectual stimulation, live entertainment, creative expression and the arts, civic and professional involvement and religious and spiritual fellowship. Pets are allowed. In the past, there was a one-time fee for residents with pets.
VISTA ON 5th
1261 Fifth Ave. (107th-108th Sts.)
Phone: 212-534-6464
Fax: 646-854-8568
Type: Assisted Living
Waiting List: Check when contacting Vista
Facilities: 127 studio apartments
Fees: Medicaid/set rent $1,365 monthly (Identified by NYS annually)
Monthly private pay: $6,000 (Vista accepts private pay and then spend-down and then transition into Medicaid)
Add ons: Cable, phone, wireless internet;
Alexi in all apartments; new furniture provided.
Come 2024 Vista on 5th will be celebrating their 25th anniversary. And Maria T., who moved who moved in two years later, is still there. And last year Maria’s paintings, all done in her studio apartment, were on display in an art gallery. Creativity’s contagious at Vista on 5th with Carmen R., who was knitting when I first met her at Vista on 5th in 2019, is busy these days knitting for several staffers who are soon-to-be moms.
At the 14-story residence overlooking Central Park, residents enjoy chef-prepared meals in the 14th floor dining room overlooking the Harlem Meer, a man-made lake at the northeast corner of the park south of 110th Street and north of the Conservatory Garden.
Vista on 5th’s lobby floor has a concierge desk which is adjacent to a sitting area set up with coffee and morning newspapers. Located right on 5th Avenue, with 127 studio apartments, Vista on 5th’s equipped with 24/7 security, a full team of Nurses available daily, an on-site Physician, Resident Care Aides, Case Managers, and various other visiting specialty clinicians to meet the needs of residents. Their additional support staff assists with medication administration, ambulation, incontinence care, diabetic care, and physical, speech and occupational therapy. Because Medicaid is accepted, pets are allowed only for visits. There is an ongoing Good Dog Therapy program for residents to enjoy some pet time with Fido. Vista’s monthly rate covers 3 meals a day, and such personal services as housekeeping and laundry. Medical appointments and arrangements for transportation are made for residents with advance notice. Through Vista’s inter-generational program local high schools volunteer at Vista and engage in activities with the residents.visit and together have collaboratively engaged in writing a newsletter.
Angela DeWood, Vista’s Director of Community Engagement, said “Vista on 5th is a community that wants to make their residents feel at home. Vista offers an array of holistic life enrichment programming perfect to enrich the mind, body and soul of its residents. Low-Impact exercises every morning with activities perfect for socializing and keep engaged in the afternoon. With an on-site salon and community bus for resident outings, residents always have opportunities to keep busy and thrive.” Vista on 5th is a community-based, not-for-profit organization, run solely on admissions and grants.
When I met Vista’s CEO Nicole Atanasio, who is a registered nurse in 2019 in connection with the Senior Living Guide, she said that “Living at [Vista] is being at home, and all seniors come to [Vista] with their life’s stories and that [Vista] is the next chapter,” and that “residents need to know they are home at a place where they are able to build on their stories, make more memories and additional chapters,” and that remains true as Vista on 5th approaches their Silver Anniversary.
305 WEST END ASSISTED LIVING
305 West End Avenue
New York, NY 10023
212 969-8464
Monthly rates: Starting at $7,800 for Independent Living; $8,900 for Assisted Living; $12,700 for Memory Care, Reflections.
305 West End is home to seniors who want to maintain an independent or assisted living lifestyle, as well as those who need memory care. Located in the very residential part of the Upper West Side, 305 West is within walking or short travel distance of parks, restaurants, shopping, and the cultural attractions that make Manhattan, well, New York. 305 West has their own on-site cinema and an outdoor terrace. Three meals are chef-prepared and individually served each day in a country club dining room. Luxurious suites, with kitchenette and private bath, are spacious. Services and amenities include housekeeping, weekly linens and laundry, a fitness center, exercise classes and wellness programs, as well as town car service and motor coach transportation to and from outside activities. In addition to basics, Independent, Assisted and Memory Care Living may have other services. Small pets are welcome.
BROOKDALE BATTERY PARK CITY
455 North End Ave., near Chambers St.
212-791-2500
Type: Independent Living
Facilities: 217 apartments - Studios to two-bedrooms
Fees: Monthly costs vary depending on room type and level of care needed, generally ranging from $7,450 - $8850/month
Waiting list: Call ahead
Brookdale Battery Park City, located at the tip of Manhattan, is well-suited for seniors who are looking forward to an urban lifestyle. From dining in any of the many local restaurants to dining and shopping at nearby Brookfield. For not venturing out for the day or evening, Brookdale has an on-site cinema, fitness center, outdoor terrace. Three meals a day are nutritionally planned and individually served each day in a country club dining room. An MTA bus stop is opposite Brookdale Battery Park City building for a ride to the Theater District. And Brookdale provides shuttle buses for shopping and cultural activities around the city. The facility was designed for seniors, from wide hallways for extra support to apartments with low counter tops. All apartments have Alexa as a personal assistant.
There’s a full schedule of activities on- and off-premises. Brookdale’s monthly fee includes 24-hour emergency response, exercise, health and wellness program, and a monitoring system to check in on all residents. Pets are allowed.
COTERIE - HUDSON YARDS
505 West 35th St.
800-385-2527
Rent + Care Costs: Assisted Living - Starting at $10,800/month; Independent Living - Starting at $10,800/month; Memory Care - Starting at $11,200/month
One- and Two-bedroom apartments; Companion Suites, Studio apartments
Opened in the last year, Coterie Hudson Yards is another of the high-end Senior Living Residences that are defining luxury senior living in Manhattan. Pricey they are, but so are rents for all any one in any age category who wants to live in Manhattan. The senior opting for Coterie look forward to an opulent and cosmopolitan lifestyle which is reflected in menus crafted by acclaimed chefs, white-glove service, and a vibrant community where residents enjoy life in style.
Residents are right in the midst of the heartbeat of New York. Coterie’s located between busy, buzzy Midtown West and Chelsea, and Hudson Yards is becoming a big attraction for New Yorkers and visitors. There’s the High Line, Broadway, museums. Coterie residents enjoy exclusive benefits throughout Hudson Yards, including access to priority restaurant reservations, event tickets, personal shopping. Luxury living is reflected in wellness and in care offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care service. There’s a 24-hour on-site medical center. Physical therapy service is available to residents. Coterie has a curated library. The gym’s equipment in their private health club was selected by the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Team to promote fitness, flexibility, and longevity. There are several dining venues at Coterie as well as an on-site bakery where resident cooking classes are held.
The Apsley by Sunrise
2330 Broadway (btw 84th/85th Streets)
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 646.561.9398
Type: Independent Senior Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Enhanced Care
Facilities: 76 assisted living and 80 memory care residences
There is a one-time move-in fee.
Monthly rates: Assisted Living - Starting At: Studio, $15,000, One bedroom, $21,250, Two bedroom, $23,000
Monthly rates: Memory Care - Starting At: Studio, $23,000, Two bedroom, $31,800
The Apsley by Sunrise recently opened in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Located on Broadway between 84th and 85th Streets, it’s a short block away from the corner of 86th and Broadway co-named for uber Upper West Sider Isaac Bashevis Singer who lived at the landmarked Belnord for many years. The 19-story Apsley, developed by SLCE Architects and Champalimaud Design, was designed by using blond wood paneling, stained- glass touches and white marble to create a fell of hospitality. It’s a perfect setting for affluent seniors to enjoy independent and assisted living lifestyles. Monthly costs include housing, meals, laundry, medical care, activities, and personalized senior living services, Amazon Alexa and Alva Technology. The building’s key features and amenities include a spa, a care center, landscaped outdoor terraces, an art studio, a theater, and a library curated by a local bookseller. The main dining room is situated on the street level as is a casual dining bistro, and parlor for relaxing. Food is curated and residents can have table-side dining and daily activities on premises as well as having access to all that makes the West Side, well, the West Side - from Zabar’s and Barney Greengrass to Barnes & Noble, all within a short distance. Or an Uber or M104 to Lincoln Center, the Museum Natural History, Symphony Space, and the Theater District.
On-site nurses will coordinate resident’s care with their family and healthcare provider. And there’s an emergency response system in every apartment. For memory care residents, the Apsley has a secure Reminiscence Neighborhood that features distinct programs for resident living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of memory loss.
In addition to a full calendar of daily activities, The Apsley offers an Extended Education program - College at 60 at Fordham University. It consists of seminars that cover a variety of topics, such as creative writing, 20th century art, - a “nationally recognized program” that “serves as a bridge back into the classroom for persons over 60 interested in learning among a community of peers in a relaxed, intellectual environment.” There are Exclusive Concerts/Performance Talks with Lincoln Center Performing Arts Center and
Lincoln Center Moments, among other events.
And it’s all in and around the Upper West Side’s Apsley.
CARNEGIE EAST HOUSE
1844 Second Ave. (95th-96th St.)
212-410-0033
Type: Independent and Assisted Living
Facilities: 97 apartments
Monthly prices range: Studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments - $6,950 - $8,865.
Carnegie East House offers independent living and assisted living and caters to the diverse needs of their residents with a wide range of care and non-care services.
Carnegie’s diverse activities are designed to keep residents happy, healthy and intellectually engaged. There’s a full schedule of wellness and exercises as well as on- and off-site cultural activities. On the premises are classes taught by theater and dance professionals, and there’s a theater group for residents. Medical management is available to residents who need assistance managing their medications, which are paid for with private insurance. A licensed nurse is on duty seven days a week.
In addition to three meals a a day for an extensive fine dining menu, monthly rent includes housekeeping once a week, personal care services, personal laundry (including linen and towels), utilities (not telephone or cable TV). There is 24-hour concierge service. A beauty salon and solarium are on the premises, and kitchenettes are equipped with an efficiency refrigerator, freezer and cook-top stove. Pets are allowed.
All apartments are designed to maximize independence and a safe environment for older adults – accessible toilet and shower with multiple handrails, an emergency call system that connects to the concierge desk for prompt response and such building features as day rooms throughout the residence, a library, computer room with Internet access, low vision library, as well as a wellness and rehabilitation center. Secular and religious holidays are observed.
ISABELLA HOUSE
515 Audubon Ave., near West 191st Street
212-342-9200
Facilities: Studio and one-bedroom apartments, some with balconies.
Rent: Starting at $2,400 a month
Type: Independent Living
Isabella House is a diverse and independent living residence for seniors 62 and over. The monthly fee includes two meals a day, lunch and dinner, cable TV, utilities, and fresh linen weekly. Housekeeping is extra. Studio and one-bedroom apartments include rent and services, two meals a day (lunch and dinner, served buffet style), 24/7 security, utilities, basic cable TV, weekly linen service, visitor parking. Additional services, not included, are an on-site beauty salon, gift shop, laundry, moderately priced lodging for overnight guests. Medical, physical therapy, occupational therapy and psychiatric services are nearby.
There is always something going on — Isabella House’s wealth of activities includes music and exercise programs, poetry and art classes, computer training, current events discussions, and a lot more.
Apartments are unfurnished and residents are expected to bring their own furniture. Residents sign a one-year lease and a one-month security deposit is required. There are annual rent increases which are generally tied to a cost of living increase. A one-month security deposit is required. Pets are permitted and residents’ pets must be appropriate in size and behavior to the environment and must not be disruptive or dangerous to the safety and security of any of the residents or staff. Residents who wish to bring pets to live with them in Isabella House must comply with the Isabella House Pet Policy.
Prospective residents ask, “I am independent now, but what happens if my health declines?” Policy at Isabella is that “Residents of Isabella House may require home care services from time to time and are free to engage private home care services on their own as circumstances require.”
Located in the northern most part of Manhattan, in Washington Heights, Isabella is surrounded by parks and gardens in the midst of city-centric Manhattan, and was selected by Lin-Manuel for the filming of “In the Heights.”
VILLAGE CARE
Assisted Living
510 West 46th St
212 977-4600
Facilities: 150 apartments. Studio, and 2-bedroom shared apts.
Note: To begin application process, the following is required:
Residents must be 62 or older. Active NYS Medicaid. Receive SS benefits.
Rates: From $2,495 to $13,117 monthly
Location and excellent care is what keeps Peter Blaxill, now in his ninth decade, a happy resident at Village Care. It’s going on 10 years that the former Broadway musical theater actor has been living at the Assisted Living residence, and he still revels in the urban lifestyle and the excellent care he enjoys at Village Care. When researching senior assisted living residences in 2019, Peter, who’s an old friend, told me - and I wrote about - how he had waited years to get a call that an apartment was available. Never happened. Years later, thinking it would never happen, he tried again. This time waiting lists were no more, and Peter moved into the studio apartment he’s lived in ever since and where, when he’s home at his computer during the day, appreciates the daylight streaming through.
Village Care is within walking distance of the Hudson River to the west and several blocks east to the Theater District. There were always lots of ethnic and traditional restaurants. Many closed because of Covid. But now there’s a resurgence. Peter’s favorite, the Galaxy diner on 46th and 10th, never left, and he’s a regular. There’s a Target in the neighborhood and for immediate health necessaries, Ryan Chelsea-Community Health Center is right around the corner from Village Care, and a pharmacy’s on the opposite side of the street.
Village Care residents enjoy their independence and the comfort of having the personal services that make life easier - 24-hour concierge and security service, housekeeping, laundry services, two meals a day, and a calendar of activities, including nightly movies, and a big screen TV in the rec room. In addition to the basic monthly rate, there may be additional services that could increase cost of care depending on services a resident may need.
Summing up Peter B’s living experience at Village Care and repeating what he told Senior Guide in 2022, “Everyone’s so helpful. I’m able to come and go as I please. Nobody bothers you.” When he needs assistance getting around now that he has a walker, he has an aide whom he pays out-of-pocket.
Sunrise 56
139 East 56th St
New York, NY 10022
212.479-1200
Type: Independent Senior Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care
Facilities: 151 apartments
Monthly Rates - Starting At: $8,900 to $15,600
One- and Two-Bedroom Suites
Come December of this year, Sunrise 56, at the corner of Lexington Avenue and 56th Street, will celebrate its second anniversary. Monthly costs at the 15-story luxury senior residence will vary depending on apartment and the level of care needed. Residents are generally affluent seniors who are willing and able to afford the independent and assisted living lifestyle offered at Sunrise 56. The cost to live at Sunrise 56 includes housing, meals, laundry, medical care and activities, and personalized senior living services. Sunrise’s interior is stunning and subtle in its design and decor. Communal spaces are spacious and tasteful.
Everything is curated - the food, the service, the settings and residents enjoy dining, daily activities on premises while having easy access to the cultural life of New York. If they want to eat in, they can have a chef-prepared gourmet meal at Sunrise 56’s well-appointed dining room. Of they can make a reservation at a restaurant.
Located Midtown East, Sunrise is accessible to the city’s culture - museums, theaters, local events - and is it’s a short walk to Bloomingdale’s and shopping on Madison or Fifth avenue. And residents can call on Sunrise staff to make reservations to schedule transportation.
Personal care and medication services, weekly housekeeping, laundry, and scheduled transportation, three locally sourced meals prepared by Sunrise 56’s culinary team are included in Sunrise’s monthly rate. Residents and staff wear BlueBrand bracelets, a supportive technology, so that everyone’s on call in an emergency. There is an additional monthly fee for individualized care.
In each resident’s apartment Foresite Predictive Health and Fall Management system, which tracks a resident’s health, It is set up in the resident’s apartment and is able to alert staff if assistance is needed. The building is certified LEED Silver for its leadership in energy and environmental design.
An expansive calendar of programs and events, advises residents of the day’s menus, programs and events, is displayed on touch screens opposite the building’s elevators. Pets are permitted and Pet Therapy days appear on the calendar.
Inspire Carnegie Hill
1802 Second Ave.
Type: Assisted, Enchanced, Memory Care
203-567-4397
Facilities: 215 apartments, studios, one, and two-bedrooms
Fees: Starting at $11,500/month, includes room and board, a concierge and special events and programs, with the base level of medical care.
Base rental rate Assisted Living (SOL), includes apartment, utilities, amenities, Ali Technology Suite, concierge services, resident safety system, housekeeping, laundry, life-enrichment program, all meals, and scheduled transportation. Additionally, base level of care and a dedicated RN care manager are included. Enhanced Care (OCEANA) and Memory Care (TERRA) includes apartment, amenities, concierge services, resident safety system, housekeeping, laundry, life-enrichment, dedicated RN care manager, personal care, medication management, and skilled nursing services. There is additional cost for private duty, one-on-one care, or companion services.
Opened in 2020, 24-story Inspir is successfully carrying out its mission to bring the best of the best to senior residents who have enjoyed and are able to continue to afford a luxurious lifestyle. Most Inspir residents are lifelong New Yorkers. Many have lived on the Upper East Side and like being surrounded by and having access to medical services conveniently located. In addition to top-tier health care and innovative wellness programs at Inspir, residents are able to easily get to NYC’s best doctors and hospitals - Weill Cornell Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital - on their own. And all are within a short distance of Inspir. If transportation is required, Inspir’s concierge will arrange for it.
Natural light is part of Inspir’s environment. Designed with floor to ceiling windows, there are expansive city views, including the East River. Activities and programming keeps residents engaged in intellectually, culturally stimulating activities which take place on premises and off. Recent programming featured famed octogenarians and nonagenarians who talked about their lives in the theater and on Broadway. Tony award winning producer, 89 year-old Manny Azenberg, regaled residents with his storied career and various Broadway collaborations, notably with Neil Simon, as well as Jewish representation in the theater and media. Famed private equity investor Alan J. Patricof, Co-founder and Chairperson of Primetime Partners, spoke and noted that, by 2030, 60-year-olds will outnumber those under age 18. At 88, Patricof attended Burning Man and was the oldest competitor to finish the New York City Marathon, his sixth. And the world of politics brought Congress Member Jerry Nadler to Inspir. Last November Nadler became Inspir’s newly elected representative in the 12th Congressional District. There are independent activities for all residents which are displayed on touch screens displayed opposite all elevators. Meals are curated and chef prepared.
East Siders and mostly New Yorkers of a certain age who are ready for the next stage of living and are able to afford the luxury are finding that Inspir is where they want to live. The 23-story residence has floor-to-ceiling windows and its location makes it easy to continue their lifestyle with their friends and family nearby and being able to enjoy Manhattan’s culture and buzz.
Inspir has three programs for Assisted Living - SOL is for residents who need assistance with personal care or who may require intermittent enhanced care services. OCEANA is memory care for residents with dementia or other cognitive impairments. TERRA is for residents with chronic enhanced care needs who may also require ongoing skilled nursing services. Each has a monthly schedule of descriptive programs. Some are on premises at Inspir. Off-premises activities are also scheduled and include going to theater, MOMA, 92nd Y events, among others.
Smart apartment technology and floor-to-ceiling windows are in every residence. One and two-bedroom apartments feature washers and dryers. Utilities are included in the monthly fee as is 24-7 licensed nursing, daily meals and daily housekeeping.
The 16th floor’s two-level atrium and terrace, with interior and exterior seating, is a favorite during the day and evening, with its plush outdoor greenery. There’s an indoor heated pool, a state of the art fitness center, lounges.
Inspir senior residents are able to embrace an independent lifestyle in an environment of luxury designed to meet changing personal wellness and health needs. A concierge will make Uber arrangements for medical care or a resident’s night at the theater. And a Mercedes house car is available for appointments.