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We just got a dementia diagnosis

What to do in the first month, and what can wait longer than you think.

Quick answer

What to do in the first month, and what can wait longer than you think.

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Home›By Situation›We just got a dementia diagnosis

The first month after a diagnosis is mostly about slowing down. Very little has to be decided immediately.

Short answer

What to do in the first month, and what can wait longer than you think.

What to do, in order

  1. Slow down. Very little has to be decided this month.
  2. Get the specific diagnosis. Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, Lewy body and frontotemporal dementia progress differently and respond differently to medication.
  3. Do the legal work now, while capacity is clear. Power of attorney, medical power of attorney, directives.
  4. Call the Area Agency on Aging serving your county. NYC Aging (DFTA) covers Staten Island; the local NY Connects access point is CASC at (718) 489-3954.
  5. Understand what memory care will require later. New York requires SNALR certification, layered on an ALR license, for a community to legitimately offer memory care.

Questions families ask

In-home care vs. assisted living -- where's the actual cost crossover point?

At New York's 2025 CareScout median of $35/hour for non-medical caregiver care, roughly 41 hours a week of in-home care costs about the same as the state's $7,110/month assisted living median. Past that point, a licensed community is often the less expensive option on paper.

Nursing home vs. assisted living -- what actually pushes a resident from one to the other?

A resident whose needs exceed what an Assisted Living Residence (or Enhanced ALR, for aging-in-place needs) is licensed to provide -- generally ongoing skilled nursing care -- typically needs to transition to a nursing home, licensed under the entirely separate rule chapter 10 NYCRR Part 415.

Hospice vs. palliative care -- families on Staten Island often confuse these. What's the real difference?

Hospice is comfort-focused care for a life-limiting illness, generally when a physician expects six months or less if the disease runs its normal course, and generally requires stepping back from curative treatment. Palliative care focuses on symptom relief and quality of life, and can run alongside curative treatment at any stage of an illness.

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