LeadingAge New York

04/24/2026

LeadingAge New York and our members are urging state lawmakers to recognize the critical workforce challenges facing long-term care providers as negotiations continue.

As Newsday reports, Long Island’s non-profit nursing homes alone need more than 600 additional full-time staff members just to meet minimum staffing requirements—a direct reflection of the severe workforce shortages that have persisted since the pandemic.

LeadingAge New York’s Sebrina Barrett underscored the reality providers are facing:

“Fifty percent of Long Island [nonprofit] nursing homes are operating at a deficit, so it is hard to go out and compete for the staff they need.”

Hospitals and nursing homes alike are navigating the impact of federal funding cuts and rising costs. But the data shows that while hospital employment has grown since the pandemic, nursing home employment has fallen from 121,000 to 104,000, leaving providers struggling to maintain safe staffing levels for older adults with increasingly complex needs.

That’s why we are calling for a balanced distribution of the $1.5 billion in new Medicaid funding proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul—one that acknowledges the essential role of skilled nursing providers and the unique workforce pressures they face.

New York’s older adults deserve stable, high-quality care. Ensuring that non-profit nursing homes receive adequate funding is a necessary step toward rebuilding the workforce and strengthening the entire continuum of care.

Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and New York State Assembly Majority Speaker Carl Heastie, please and in the final budget!

They say they need to fill about 850 jobs just on Long Island to meet their bare minimum staffing needs.

04/10/2026

Join affordable and supportive senior housing providers from across the state at LeadingAge New York’s Affordable Housing Conference May 6th and 7th at the DoubleTree by Hilton Syracuse to learn more about evolving federal policies and their impact on you and your residents, best practices in fair housing and physical inspection compliance, and cross-staff frameworks for supporting aging residents with increasingly complex needs in affordable housing. Special hotel rates end Sat., April 11th—so don’t delay, register now to join us in May! https://bit.ly/4dEhs9V

04/08/2026

“Across New York, thousands of nursing home beds have disappeared. Today, more than 70,000 beds are operated at a loss. Without action, more facility closures are inevitable. This is not just a financial issue; it is a community crisis,” said LeadingAge New York’s Sebrina Barrett in an opinion piece for the Times Union.

In the Capital Region, about 85% of nursing home admissions come directly from hospitals. In other parts of the state, this percentage is even higher. Without nursing homes, hospitals become overcrowded, families are left scrambling, and vulnerable individuals have nowhere to turn.

New York must address this crisis in the final ! At least $750 million in new Medicaid funding must be directed to nursing homes to begin to align reimbursement with the actual cost of care.

Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and New York State Assembly Majority Speaker Carl Heastie, please and !

Thousands of nursing home beds have vanished, and more facility closures are on the horizon, as Medicaid reimbursement has failed to keep pace with the true cost of care.

04/07/2026

LeadingAge New York has been sounding the alarm about the accelerating rate of nursing home closures and the loss of long-term care capacity across the state. We are grateful to the elected officials who stand with us and are working to finally address the chronic underfunding of skilled nursing care in the .

Senator Patrick Gallivan underscored the urgency:

“For too long, Medicaid rates in New York have not kept pace with the rising cost of nursing home care. Nursing homes in WNY and across the state are providing care to Medicaid patients but are being reimbursed for only about 70% of the actual cost of services.”

Governor Kathy Hochul echoed these concerns:

“We are very concerned about the viability of our nursing homes in the state. They take care of our most vulnerable and they need to be stabilized. So, we’re going to be there to support it.”

The Buffalo News recently covered the wave of nursing home closures driven by chronic Medicaid underfunding.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3QofC34.

To protect access to high-quality care for older adults, the final must include $750 million in new Medicaid funding for nursing homes and the full 15% restoration of cuts to capital funding.

New Yorkers who rely on long-term and post-acute care deserve a stable, sustainable, high-quality care system they can depend on.

New York lawmakers and the nursing home industry are urging that $750 million in the next state budget go to nursing homes to safeguard care for the state's most vulnerable populations.

04/01/2026

With state budget work ongoing, LeadingAge New York and our members are urging lawmakers to protect and fund programs that keep older adults safe, healthy, and supported in their homes.

One critical initiative is the Resident Assistance Program, which would bring on-site Resident Assistants (RAs) into affordable senior housing buildings in New York City and across the state.

As Selfhelp Community Services, Inc.’s Katie Foley explains, a $2 million investment in the state budget would deliver outsized impact:

• Help older adults avoid unnecessary hospitalizations.
• Support aging in place and long-term stability.
• Reduce Medicaid spending—aligning with the State’s affordability and cost-saving goals.

At a moment when New York is searching for sustainable solutions, funding on-site social services in affordable senior housing is both smart policy and compassionate practice.

We encourage the Legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul to include this proven program in the final budget, as included in the Senate one-house proposal. Please help aging New Yorkers continue to thrive in their homes!

Since Hochul became governor in 2021, she’s presided over four budget deals. All of them were late.

03/31/2026

New York has an opportunity to strengthen nursing home resident care teams this year!

Authorizing the training and employment of Certified Medication Aides (CMAs) in nursing homes would enhance the long-term care career ladder and make a meaningful difference for both residents and frontline staff. As Michael E. McRae, president and CEO of St. Ann's Community, explains in his recent opinion piece in the RBJ, authorizing CMAs would:

• Free nurses to focus on higher-level clinical tasks.
• Improve the timeliness of routine medication administration.
• Support care teams amid persistent workforce shortages.
• Maintain safety through rigorous training and nurse oversight.

A strong and efficient workforce is critical to resident safety. With demand for long-term care services predicted to rise, authorizing CMAs now is a smart, safe modernization New York cannot afford to delay any further.

Every day, dedicated nurses and caregivers show up with professionalism and compassion; but the reality is clear: the system is under extraordinary strain.

03/30/2026

Yesterday, The Buffalo News published a story highlighting a troubling trend impacting communities across New York State: the accelerating rate of nursing home closures. The nursing homes in Western New York serve 32,000 patients annually, with 93% of individuals coming from hospitals. Yet 73% of the nursing home beds in the region are at risk due to negative operating margins.

Policymakers including Governor Kathy Hochul, Assemblywoman Amy R. Paulin, and Senator Patricia A. Fahy agree: nursing homes take care of our most vulnerable, and more Medicaid funding is needed to stabilize the sector and prevent more closures.

The recent closures in Western New York are part of a statewide pattern driven by chronic Medicaid underfunding. To protect access to quality care for older adults, the final must include $750 million in new Medicaid funding for nursing homes, as well as a full 15% restoration of cuts to capital funding. Vulnerable New Yorkers seeking long-term or post-acute care deserve a stable, high-quality care system they can depend on.

New York lawmakers and the nursing home industry are urging that $750 million in the next state budget go to nursing homes to safeguard care for the state's most vulnerable populations.

03/20/2026

Yesterday at the Capitol, LeadingAge New York, nursing home leaders, residents’ families, and state lawmakers came together to shine a light on New York’s growing nursing home funding crisis.

Years of chronic underfunding have pushed too many nursing homes to the brink—leading to staffing shortages, closures, longer hospital stays, and limited care options for older adults across the state. Unfortunately, it is the most high-quality, well-staffed homes that are being forced to close or sell. Of the 47 homes recognized by the State as top-performing homes based on State-selected quality measures, 15% have closed, been sold, or are in the sale process.

Providers and families shared powerful stories about what this crisis means in real life for those who depend on long-term care.

We are deeply grateful to the state leaders who stood with us yesterday and continue to champion meaningful Medicaid investment for older New Yorkers.

Thank you to Senator Patricia A. Fahy, Senator Cordell Cleare, Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, Assemblywoman Amy R. Paulin, and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo.

Your leadership is essential to protecting access to quality nursing home care and ensuring older adults can receive services close to home.

03/09/2026

This past Friday, Good Shepherd Communities, LeadingAge New York, lawmakers, and residents joined together to highlight the funding crisis impacting nursing homes and older adults across the state. Thank you to Senator Lea Webb and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo for taking the time to champion stronger funding for high-quality nursing home care in New York State.

Chronic underfunding is threatening access to quality care for older adults and New York families. Eleven New York nursing homes have announced closure since 2024 – two in the Southern Tier.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, New York’s health care continuum depends on a thriving long-term care sector. Please prioritize funding for long-term care in the one-house budget proposals. Nursing homes need half ($750M) of the new Medicaid funding proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul. The future of long-term care and the well-being of thousands of older adults depends on decisive action now.

Officials say 10 non-profit nursing homes in New York state have closed in the last two years.

03/06/2026

From all of your friends at LeadingAge New York, congratulations, Nancy, and best wishes in your next chapter!

03/04/2026

LeadingAge New York’s Sebrina Barrett, Heritage Ministries’ Lisa Haglund, and Catholic Health’s Hadley Horrigan recently joined BTPM NPR to discuss the need for $750M in this year’s to preserve access to high-quality nursing home care in Western New York and statewide. Listen: https://bit.ly/4r7hz0z.

02/27/2026

Today, LeadingAge New York joined residents, family members, and dedicated state lawmakers at the Jewish Home to shine a light on New York’s nursing home funding crisis and the urgent need for meaningful investment in long term care.

A heartfelt thank you to Assemblymember Harry Bronson, Assemblywoman Sarah Clark - AD 136, Assemblyman Josh Jensen, Assemblymember Jen Lunsford, Senator Samra Brouk, and Senator Jeremy Cooney – and to all the Assemblymembers and Senators who stand with us – for taking the time to support and champion stronger funding for high-quality nursing home care in New York State.

New York is experiencing a wave of nursing home closures and bed reductions because nursing home Medicaid rates are too low. This is limiting the choices available to older adults, delaying hospital discharges, and causing gridlock in hospitals.

Together, we are calling for a future where every New Yorker can access safe, high-quality care close to home. We urge that the prioritize quality care for older adults by investing meaningful new dollars in the nursing home Medicaid rate, restoring all cuts to capital reimbursement, and investing in the full continuum of long-term care in the SFY 2026-27 budget.