Hospitals & Memory Care Units Serving Buffalo

Buffalo families navigating Alzheimer's disease or other memory loss can start with the CMS-listed hospitals below, then ask each facility directly about dementia-capable care and discharge planning. This page is informational only. No hospital, clinic, or agency named here endorses this website. For a broader local overview, see the Buffalo in-home care hub.

CMS publishes each hospital's name, address, type, ownership, emergency-services status, and overall star rating. It does not publish whether a hospital has a dedicated memory, dementia, or geriatric unit, so confirm that with the hospital itself.

Hospitals serving Buffalo

Buffalo is served by several CMS-listed acute care and psychiatric hospitals, including a VA medical center, each with a published address, phone number, facility type, and (in most cases) an overall CMS star rating.

Upstate New York VA Healthcare System (Western NY VA Healthcare System)
3495 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215
Phone: (716) 862-3611
Acute care, Veterans Health Administration ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating: 5 out of 5. View the CMS hospital profile.

Kaleida Health
100 High Street, Buffalo, NY 14210
Phone: (716) 859-8620
Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit - private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating: 3 out of 5. View the CMS hospital profile.

Sisters of Charity Hospital
2157 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214
Phone: (716) 862-1000
Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit - private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating: 3 out of 5. View the CMS hospital profile.

Erie County Medical Center
462 Grider Street, Buffalo, NY 14215
Phone: (716) 898-3936
Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit - private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating: 2 out of 5. View the CMS hospital profile.

Mercy Hospital of Buffalo
565 Abbott Road, Buffalo, NY 14220
Phone: (716) 826-7000
Acute care hospital, voluntary non-profit - private ownership, emergency services. CMS overall rating: 2 out of 5. View the CMS hospital profile.

Brylin Hosp
1263 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14209
Phone: (716) 886-8200
Psychiatric hospital, proprietary ownership. CMS has not assigned an overall star rating. View the CMS hospital profile.

Buffalo Psychiatric Center
400 Forest Ave, Buffalo, NY 14213
Phone: (716) 885-2261
Psychiatric hospital, government - state ownership. CMS has not assigned an overall star rating. View the CMS hospital profile.

What CMS star ratings do and do not tell you

CMS overall star ratings on this page summarize selected hospital quality measures. They do not tell you whether a Buffalo hospital has a dedicated memory, dementia, or geriatric unit.

A higher or lower star rating is not a dementia-care score. Families still need to ask about staff experience with cognitive impairment, how wandering and sundowning are handled on the unit, and how the hospital plans a safe return home.

Questions to ask about memory-related care and discharge

Families should call each Buffalo hospital directly to ask whether it has a dedicated memory or geriatric unit and how it plans discharge for a patient with dementia.

Useful questions include: Does this hospital operate a dedicated memory or geriatric unit? How are patients with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia identified on admission? Who coordinates discharge if the person cannot safely live alone? Can a family caregiver stay overnight? What written instructions will you send home with medications, follow-up appointments, and home-care referrals?

If a loved one is leaving the hospital soon, ask the case manager about hospital discharge care so someone can help with the first days at home.

NIA-designated Alzheimer's research centers

The National Institute on Aging designates Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers at medical institutions nationwide, and Buffalo families can use NIA directories to find centers and hospital affiliations rather than assuming a local hospital hosts one.

The hospital list above comes from CMS general information and does not identify any facility as an NIA-designated research center. To search for an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and any hospital partners, use the NIA tool to find an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and the Alzheimers.gov national research centers page.

For a general overview of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia, see the CDC page on Alzheimer's and dementia.

Local Alzheimer's support in Buffalo

The Alzheimer's Association Western New York Chapter provides free support groups, care consultations, education programs, and a 24/7 helpline serving Buffalo and Western New York.

Helpline: 800-272-3900. Learn more on the Alzheimer's Association Western New York Chapter website. These services can help families prepare questions for a hospital stay, understand next steps after a diagnosis-related admission, and connect with other caregivers. This chapter does not replace hospital medical care and is not listed here as an endorsement of any provider.

Statewide context also matters for planning. New York ranks second among states for Alzheimer's prevalence, which is one reason hospital and discharge planning is a practical concern for families across the state, including in Buffalo.

Home care after a Buffalo hospital stay

After a hospital stay, many Buffalo families add in-home help so a relative with memory loss can recover in a familiar setting rather than remaining in a facility longer than needed.

Depending on what the hospital team recommends and what the household can manage, that help may include memory care at home, personal care with bathing and dressing, companion care for supervision and daily routine, respite care so family caregivers can rest, or 24-hour live-in care when overnight support is required. Ask the hospital social worker to include home-care contacts in the written discharge plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Buffalo hospitals can I call if a loved one with memory loss needs care?

Start with the CMS-listed Buffalo hospitals on this page, including Kaleida Health, Sisters of Charity Hospital, Erie County Medical Center, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, the Upstate New York VA Healthcare System, Brylin Hosp, and Buffalo Psychiatric Center. Use the published phone numbers above, and ask whether the facility is the right setting for the person's current medical or psychiatric needs.

Does CMS say which Buffalo hospitals have a dedicated memory care unit?

No. CMS Hospital General Information for these Buffalo facilities publishes name, address, type, ownership, emergency-services status, and overall star rating. It does not publish whether a hospital has a dedicated memory, dementia, or geriatric unit. Confirm that directly with each hospital.

Are CMS star ratings a score for dementia or Alzheimer's care?

No. The star ratings listed here are overall CMS hospital ratings. They are not a dementia-specific quality score. A 5-star VA rating or a 2-star or 3-star acute care rating does not by itself tell you how the hospital supports patients with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia.

How do I find an NIA-designated Alzheimer's research center with a hospital affiliation?

Use the National Institute on Aging and Alzheimers.gov directories linked above to search for Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers and related hospital partners. The CMS hospital entries on this page do not identify any Buffalo facility as an NIA-designated research center.

Where can Buffalo families get free Alzheimer's support during a hospital stay?

The Alzheimer's Association Western New York Chapter offers free support groups, care consultations, education programs, and a 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900 serving Buffalo and Western New York. It can help families prepare questions and plan next steps. It is not a substitute for hospital medical care.

What should I ask before a Buffalo hospital discharges someone with dementia?

Ask who is coordinating discharge, whether the person can be left alone, how medications and follow-up visits will be managed, and whether home-care or rehabilitation referrals are part of the written plan. Request that hospital discharge care or other in-home support be arranged before the ride home whenever the person has memory loss or confusion.

Can we arrange care at home in Buffalo after the hospital?

Yes. Many families combine the hospital's discharge instructions with in-home help such as personal care, companion care, respite, memory care at home, or 24-hour live-in care. Discuss timing and hours with the hospital case manager before discharge day so coverage starts when the patient arrives home.