Best Nursing Homes in New York State

Wells Nursing Home INC is a 100-bed nonprofit skilled nursing facility in Johnstown, New York, serving residents across Fulton County with 24-hour skilled nursing care, memory care, rehabilitation services, and respite care.

The facility holds a 1-star overall CMS rating, with staffing the primary driver. Nurse staffing averages 3 hours and 29 minutes per resident per day, placing the facility in the lower half of New York’s 388 skilled nursing facilities. That said, its inspection deficiency rate of 4 per year is 22% below the New York state average of 5.1, a meaningful counterpoint to the overall rating.

The most recent inspection, in September 2024, cited five deficiencies — covering abuse and neglect protections, drug labeling, Medicaid/Medicare notices, and life safety items — all of which were corrected. A $9,000 civil money penalty accompanied that inspection, 87% below the statewide average for penalized facilities. Seven active lawsuits are on record with no closed cases reported.

Clinical services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, along with wound care, wound vac services, IV therapy, and hospice and palliative care, which round out the clinical offerings. The facility’s 98% influenza vaccination rate among employees reflects a consistent infection-prevention posture.

The facility’s occupancy rate is 96%, well above New York’s average of 88.3%, with an average resident length of stay of nearly 11 months and 73% of current residents on Medicaid.

Wells Nursing Home INC is best suited for long-term Medicaid residents — including those with memory care needs, complex wound or infusion requirements, or end-of-life care goals — who require continuous clinical support in a community-based, nonprofit setting in Johnstown.

Overview of Nyack Ridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

Nyack Ridge Rehabilitation & Nursing Center is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility located in Valley Cottage, NY. It offers a range of services including subacute rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and respite care. The center is known for its compassionate care and has been serving the community for over 40 years.

Lawrence Nursing Care Center, INC is located in Arverne, NY. It provides a range of services including long-term care, rehabilitation, and specialized medical care. The facility is designed to ensure comfort and security for its residents.

Overview of Brookhaven Rehabilitation & Health Care Center LLC

Brookhaven Rehabilitation & Health Care Center LLC is a skilled nursing facility located in Far Rockaway, NY. It offers a variety of services including short-term rehab, long-term rehab, and a bariatric program. The facility is dedicated to providing personalized care and support to its residents.

Operating since 2015, Cedar Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center maintains 153 beds at Cedar Lane in Ossining, Westchester County, New York. Cedar Manor Holding I LLC, a for-profit operator, staffs the facility 24 hours daily with nursing care averaging 3 hours 10 minutes per resident. Current occupancy stands at 92 percent. The community serves residents requiring respite care, rehabilitation services, and memory care, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease programming.

The deficiency pattern over the past 30 months constitutes the facility’s defining issue. Since September 2022, state inspectors have documented 52 violations at a rate of 13 per year; triple the New York baseline of 5.1 annually. The April 2025 complaint investigation identified 30 deficiencies across a broad operational span: activities of daily living, antibiotic stewardship protocols, COVID-19 immunization documentation, dialysis services, waste disposal, unnecessary medication use, misappropriation prevention, mobility and range of motion, infection control, drug storage and labeling, resident rights, respiratory care protocols, staffing adequacy, cooking and food preparation, emergency egress, HVAC and mechanical systems, rubbish chute maintenance, sprinkler testing, corridor integrity, electrical systems, emergency lighting, hazardous area enclosure, egress illumination, door testing and maintenance, and organizational structure. Many corrections were documented by May 2025.

Earlier in 2024, a January investigation uncovered 17 similar Level 2 violations across care planning, pharmacologic review, fall prevention, infection control, regulatory compliance, resident notification, quality measures, resident autonomy, and infrastructure safety. Three recurring violations involving the failure to report to the national health safety database remained unaddressed across 2022 and 2023 surveys. A June 2024 complaint investigation substantiated allegations of abuse and neglect, both corrected within weeks. No fines, immediate jeopardy citations, or license restrictions appear in the public record.

Named programs encompass Complex Medical Care, intravenous therapy, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Pain Management protocols, Wound Management, and specialized Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease care. The facility is named defendant in 22 lawsuits filed since 2015; 2 active medical malpractice cases are currently pending in Westchester Supreme Court.

Before placing a loved one, families should review current infection control policies, abuse prevention and reporting mechanisms, medication management documentation practices, and written responses to deficiencies identified in 2024 and 2025 inspections.

Montgomery Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is a 100-bed for-profit partnership facility in Montgomery, Orange County, certified for Medicare and Medicaid. Situated on 20 acres of landscaped grounds, the facility maintains approximately 93 percent occupancy and provides both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care.

Montgomery Nursing received a two-star overall rating and two-star health inspection rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, placing it among average-performing facilities. An inspection conducted January 14, 2025, documented 27 deficiencies spanning quality of care, safety, infection control, staffing, and environmental maintenance. The facility reported correcting most deficiencies by mid-March 2025. The facility has 28 complaints on record, no fines assessed, and no immediate jeopardy findings or license actions. Staffing ratings stood at one star; quality measures earned four stars, indicating strong clinical outcomes despite staffing challenges.

Residents receive 3.02 hours of daily nursing care combining registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, and nursing aide time. The facility provides approximately 35 minutes of physical therapy per resident per week. Services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and skilled nursing care. Amenities feature patient lounges, dining areas, recreational programming, outdoor gardens, and a gazebo for resident activities and recovery.

Orange Regional Medical Center is 9.8 miles away and Ellenville Regional Hospital is 14.8 miles away. Family and residential councils are available. The facility has served Montgomery for 46 years and supports both short-term rehab patients and long-term residents with individualized care planning and responsive staff communication.

Montgomery Nursing is suited for families whose evaluation confirms that recent inspection deficiencies were resolved and staffing meets their standards.

Northeast Center for Rehabilitation and Brain Injury is a nursing home located in Lake Katrine, an area of Ulster County, New York. NCRNC, LLC operates the 280-bed facility under the ownership of Seth Rinn. It provides rehabilitation and specialized care for residents with brain injuries and neurological conditions. Families can choose from Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay to access care.

The center provides short-term rehabilitation and longer-term skilled nursing care. It specifically focuses on brain injury recovery, with a dedicated neurobehavioral program and services like ventilator weaning. Care plans are tailored to each resident’s recovery goals and circumstances. Staffing is available 24 hours a day to provide continuous support for residents undergoing brain injury rehabilitation.

Daily nurse staffing averages 3 hours and 39 minutes per resident. Registered nurses provide 40 minutes, nurse aides contribute 2 hours and 13 minutes, and licensed practical nurses provide another 40 minutes. This level of hands-on support shows the intensity of care provided.

The facility is currently at full occupancy, and residents stay an average of 180 days. This longer average of stay is due to the ithe intensive rehabilitation journey many undergo before returning home or transitioning to lower levels of care.

The home’s inspection records are clean, with no deficiencies, citations, or substantiated complaints over the data period. The facility’s location in a somewhat walkable area means some errands can be done on foot, but most trips require transportation.

Overview of Elderwood at Waverly

Located in Waverly, New York, Elderwood at Waverly is a nursing home operated by 37 North Chemung Operating Company, LLC, and owned by Maria Landy. The 200-bed home is located in a somewhat walkable neighborhood and serves both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care needs. It accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, giving families several options to cover the cost of care.

The facility focuses on rehabilitation, offering programs for subacute recovery, orthopedic and neurological therapy, and outpatient services. Beyond traditional nursing care, Elderwood provides specialized tracks in adult day services, oncology support, palliative care, and secure memory care. This makes the facility a comprehensive option for residents with varied clinical needs.

The home’s nurse staffing averages 2 hours and 43 minutes per resident each day. Residents are supported by registered nurses, nurse aides, and licensed practical nurses working across daily shifts.

With an occupancy rate of 86%, 172 beds are occupied, reflecting steady demand. Residents stay for an average of 114 days, including short-term rehabilitation and those requiring ongoing skilled nursing care. They can choose from comfortable private and semi-private rooms and receive daily housekeeping and laundry services. The facility also features a spacious, well-equipped rehabilitation gym, with an active schedule of social programming and activities.

State inspections have identified issues with documentation, reporting requirements, and facility operations across multiple inspection cycles. All findings have been addressed, but some corrections took longer than expected. Families considering the facility can ask about how these areas are managed daily.

Residents enjoy pleasant meals, and they have access to WiFi. The community’s diverse programs and focus on rehabilitation make it appealing to families seeking post-acute care or longer-term nursing support in the Waverly area.

Overview of Delmar Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing

Delmar Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing operates a 120-bed nursing home in Delmar, a moderately walkable suburban neighborhood where some daily errands can be accomplished on foot. The facility runs near full capacity at 98% occupancy, with residents staying an average of 67 days, a timeframe consistent with post-acute rehabilitation and recovery.

The clinical scope includes short-term rehabilitation services, as well as three specialized tracks: a memory care program, a pulmonary recovery program for patients with respiratory needs, and a diabetes management program. The facility also offers genetic drug matching and testing, allowing care teams to optimize medication selection based on individual pharmacogenomic profiles rather than trial and error.

Nursing staffing reflects the intensity level of post-acute care. Registered nurses allocate 28 minutes per resident daily, while total nursing hours average three hours and forty-seven minutes per resident daily. Licensed practical nurses contribute 28 minutes daily, and nursing aides provide two hours and six minutes per resident. This distribution balances licensed oversight with paraprofessional support across the facility’s census.

Medicare, Medicaid, and private-pay options provide coverage options for families in different financial positions. The mix accommodates both insured hospital discharges and private-pay arrangements, aligning with the facility’s trajectory toward short-term stays and recovery-focused care.

In terms of regulatory compliance, state inspections have identified deficiencies in care coordination and life safety procedures, all of which the facility has resolved. The pattern over time shows no escalation in severity, no substantiated complaint findings, and no enforcement penalties. This record reflects a facility attending to regulatory compliance requirements as they surface, with prompt remediation and no indication of systemic disregard or persistent gaps.