The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Buffalo, NY

Located south of the Great Baehre Conservation Park, Heathwood Assisted Living & Memory Care at Williamsville has served the Buffalo community since 1978. Heathwood offers a secure environment where specially trained staff use proven techniques to meet the unique needs of residents with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Staff members receive training in evidence-based practices and specialized techniques to help manage dementia-related behaviors throughout every stage of the disease. Residents may choose from private studio suites and one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments with full bathrooms or private rooms with half baths.

We chose The Amberleigh in the Buffalo suburb of Williamsville because it’s been recognized with several awards for its senior care services. The Amberleigh offers independent living, assisted living and memory care. Its specialized dementia care program, Magnolia Trails, provides individualized memory care in a homelike setting. The Magnolia Trails team receives specialized training and certification in memory care that requires passing a dementia care exam before working with residents. This team leads dementia-specific activities to meet the physical, emotional and psychological needs of The Amberleigh’s residents. They create tailored care plans that meet memory care residents’ changing needs.

Brookdale Niagara in North Tonawanda is part of a network of senior living communities that placed first in customer satisfaction on a 2022 J.D. Power survey, earning a place on our list. Located less than 15 miles north of Buffalo, Brookdale Niagara offers an exclusive brand of dementia care called Clare Bridge, created more than 30 years ago. Its memory care environment features areas for safe engagement while encouraging freedom to explore the community. Brookdale Niagara also promotes consistent care assignments so residents receive care from the same providers to enhance familiarity and relationship-rich care. Enhanced dementia care includes activities involving the senses, aromatherapy and music.

Tennyson Court in Williamsville offers assisted living, respite care and memory care. It has three memory care houses on campus distinctly designed for residents with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Resident care aides and staff nurses within these houses have comprehensive training for treating residents with cognitive challenges at every level. Besides personalized memory care services, residents have inclusive services to support all their needs. These include 24/7 supervision and care, weekly housekeeping and laundry services, three meals daily, resident activities daily and meal assistance with cueing. Companion suites are available and each room is equipped with emergency call systems.

Located on a quiet tree-lined street, Elderwood Village at Bassett Park offers comfort and safety with spacious accommodations. Its proximity to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital offers nearby medical care for added peace of mind. Elderwood’s Seasons® Memory Care supports memory-impaired residents, focusing on quality of life and person-centered programming. Staff members use nationally recognized assessment tools to identify each resident’s current abilities to involve them in appropriate activities. Elderwood Village at Bassett Park has secure memory units featuring higher levels of security and higher staff-to-resident ratios to allow residents freedom of movement without impacting their safety.

Located 10 miles northeast of Buffalo, Peregrine Senior Living at Cheektowaga is a full-service senior living community with assisted living and memory care. We included this community for its unique approach to memory care called The Peregrine Way®, which combines meaningful experiences with expert care to provide ongoing opportunities to stimulate each resident’s body, mind and spirit. To help support cognitively challenged residents’ family members, Peregrine’s memory care program also includes family member orientation, education, sensitivity training, communication instruction and support groups. Staff members participate in weekly learning initiatives to ensure they’re equipped with all the knowledge and training they need to provide residents with the best possible care.

Less than 30 minutes northeast of Buffalo in East Amherst, Juniper Glen grants seniors access to customized person-centered memory care. We included the award-winning community on our list for its transitional assisted living memory care designed to provide the ideal combination of care, comfort and safety for residents with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Its transitional programming offers progressive assistance as residents needs change and a holistically designed memory care program that helps ease dementia symptoms. Juniper Glen’s unique VR Bucket List Program allows residents to take bucket list journeys within the safety of the community through advanced virtual reality therapy.

The memory care unit at Fredonia Place of Williamsville offers specialized care programs in a secure environment. It tailors all services to meet each resident’s cognitive needs through a collaborative approach between nursing staff, an on-site case manager, residents, their families and doctors to create the best care plan. Care staff receive ongoing training to ensure they can effectively adapt to and meet the needs of residents with progressive memory loss. To ensure comfort in living space, all memory care suites feature private bathrooms and ample room for wheelchair and scooter accessibility.

Brompton Heights in Williamsville provides independent living, assisted living and memory care, with licensed nursing professionals on-site around the clock. Brompton Heights made our list because all its rooms are licensed for enhanced care, allowing residents to age in place, and it offers a 24/7 recreation calendar. Offering round-the-clock activities ensures that residents with cognitive impairments never feel isolated or alone. Its memory care team is specially trained to focus on each resident’s unique needs in a safe, homelike setting. The memory care unit is a lockdown unit, with Wander Guards prescribed by doctors for residents who tend to wander.

Located about 13 miles east of Buffalo, GreenField Continuing Care Community in Lancaster offers a full array of senior services, including independent living, outpatient therapy, assisted living, skilled nursing, respite care and memory care. Memory care occurs in GreenField Terrace, designed for residents with a primary diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s. It features private rooms and a flexible, unstructured environment while simultaneously ensuring resident safety and support. Each room within the three memory care homes has access to shared community spaces and a central courtyard. Memory care residents can also access the full range of services available throughout the GreenField Campus, which sits on 52 landscaped acres.