Dementia Care in Riverhead, NY: In-Home Alzheimer's Care

Local figures

Dementia Care in Riverhead, NY: the local picture

350

residents 85 or older (2.3% of all residents)

3,565

residents 65 or older (24% of Riverhead)

32%

of residents 65+ report a disability (28% in Suffolk County)

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

Riverhead has about 350 residents aged 85 or older among 3,565 aged 65 or older. The risk of Alzheimer’s rises steeply with age, and the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that about a third of people 85 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia.

32% of residents 65 and older report a disability (28% in Suffolk County). The Census counts cognitive difficulty as one kind, alongside hearing, vision, walking, self-care and living independently.

26% of older Riverhead residents in households live alone. For someone with memory loss who lives alone, a few hours of daily check-ins are often the first step.

Riverhead compared with Suffolk County and New York

Census figure	Riverhead	Suffolk County	New York
Residents 85 or older	2.3%	2.2%	2.2%
Residents 65 or older	24%	18%	18%
Residents 65+ with a disability	32%	28%	32%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	23%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	10%	7.3%	13%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	34%	25%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$56,473	$87,077	—

Older residents in towns around Riverhead

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Riverside, NY	3.2 mi	429	13
Baiting Hollow, NY	3.6 mi	916	91
Calverton, NY	5.5 mi	2,422	326
Flanders, NY	5.7 mi	1,197	216
Wading River, NY	7.2 mi	1,743	61
Westhampton, NY	7.3 mi	1,288	191

Nursing homes near Riverhead

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Acadia Center For Nursing And Rehabilitation	Riverhead, NY	1.5 mi	5 of 5	181	(631) 727-7744
Westhampton Care Center	Westhampton, NY	8.7 mi	5 of 5	180	(631) 288-0101
Oasis Rehabilitation And Nursing, LLC	Center Moriches, NY	11 mi	5 of 5	100	(631) 878-4400
The Hamptons Center For Rehabilitation And Nursing	South Hampton, NY	14 mi	2 of 5	280	(631) 702-1000
San Simeon By The Sound Center For Nursing & Rehab	Greenport, NY	15 mi	1 of 5	120	(631) 477-2110
Surge Rehabilitation And Nursing LLC	Middle Island, NY	16 mi	2 of 5	164	(631) 924-8820

Hospices serving Riverhead

Hospice	Office	Distance	Phone
East End Hospice, Inc	Westhampton Beach, NY	8.6 mi	(631) 288-8400
Nyu Langone Hospital - Suffolk Hospice	Patchogue, NY	21 mi	(631) 687-2960
Good Shepherd Hospice	Farmingdale, NY	42 mi	(631) 465-6300
Hospice Care Of Long Island, Queens, South Shore	Woodbury, NY	43 mi	(516) 832-7100

Straight-line miles from the center of Riverhead. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a dementia caregiver can help with

Keeping a predictable daily routine
Gentle help with bathing, dressing and toileting
Meals, hydration and medication reminders
Calming approaches for sundowning, agitation and repeated questions

Cost

What dementia care costs in Riverhead

At the New York median aide wage of $19.05 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,651 a month in wages, which is 35% of the $4,706 monthly median income of Riverhead households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New York's minimum wage is $17.00 in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, $16.00 in the rest of the state (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see CDPAP in New York: how to get paid to care for a family member.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a dementia caregiver

An estimated 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Facts and Figures. Most live at home, cared for by family. The Association’s 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) is free.

Questions worth asking: Tell me about someone with dementia you cared for. What worked? What do you do when a client becomes agitated in the late afternoon? How do you keep someone safe who tries to leave the house? More in our dementia care guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Dementia Care in Riverhead: common questions

What nursing homes are near Riverhead?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Acadia Center For Nursing And Rehabilitation in Riverhead (1.5 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Westhampton Care Center in Westhampton (8.7 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Oasis Rehabilitation And Nursing, LLC in Center Moriches (11 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does dementia care cost in Riverhead?

At the New York median aide wage of $19.05 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,651 a month in wages, which is 35% of the $4,706 monthly median income of Riverhead households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New York's minimum wage is $17.00 in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, $16.00 in the rest of the state (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

When does someone with dementia need care at home?

Common signs are missed meals or medication, getting lost in familiar places, unsafe cooking or driving, and a family caregiver who is exhausted. Many families start with a few hours a day and add hours, nights or live-in help as the disease progresses.

More near Riverhead

More senior care near Riverhead

Dementia Care in nearby cities

Other care in Riverhead

More for Riverhead families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

In-Home Dementia and Alzheimer's Care in Riverhead, NY