Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
River Ridge Living Center
100 Sandy Drive, Amsterdam, NY · (518) 843-3503
- Certified beds
- 120
- Residents per day
- 105
- Ownership
- For-Profit
- Chain
- No chain reported
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- December 1, 1974
1
How this home got 1 star
The overall rating isn't an average. CMS starts from the inspection rating and nudges it at most two steps. Here is the arithmetic for this home, using CMS's own rules.
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Health inspections
★★★★★starting point
Everything starts from what state inspectors found on site. This is a ranking against other homes in New York.
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Staffing
★★★★★no change
Only a 5-star staffing rating adds a star, and only a 1-star rating removes one. Ratings of 2 to 4 change nothing.
-
Quality measures
★★★★★no change
Same rule: 5 stars adds one, 1 star takes one away. These measures are mostly reported by the home itself.
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Overall
★★★★★1 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
2
Where it sits among New York homes
River Ridge Living Center carries 135 inspection points. That is fewer than 8% of New York's 589 rated homes.
Inspectors' citations earn points by how serious and how widespread they were (the grid below). CMS then ranks every home in New York: the 10% with the fewest points get 5 stars, the 20% with the most get 1 star, and the middle 70% split evenly into 2, 3 and 4.
- 5★ 0–12 pts
- 4★ 12–27 pts
- 3★ 27–46 pts
- 2★ 46–82 pts
- 1★ over 82 pts
Bars show every rated home in New York by its weighted inspection score. CMS recalibrates the cut points monthly but holds a home's rating until its own score changes, so a home can sit just outside today's band.
3
What inspectors found
37 health citations on record since 2020. Each one gets a letter: the row says how badly residents were affected, the column how many.
Immediate jeopardyResidents at risk of serious injury or death
Actual harmA resident was hurt
Potential for harmNo one was hurt, but could have been
Minimal harmPaperwork-level problems
Read the rows, not the total. Most citations nationwide are a D: one problem, nobody hurt. Rows G–I mean a resident was harmed; J–L mean inspectors found residents in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Small numbers in each cell are the inspection points CMS assigns per citation. Those points are what the state curve above ranks.
No citation on record at the harm or immediate-jeopardy level.
Everything else, by area of care
Nutrition and Dietary10E
- E
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
- E
Provide special eating equipment and utensils for residents who need them and appropriate assistance.
- E
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- E
Have a policy regarding use and storage of foods brought to residents by family and other visitors.
- E
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- E
Have a policy regarding use and storage of foods brought to residents by family and other visitors.
- D
Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food that accommodates resident allergies, intolerances, and preferences, as well as appealing options.
- D
Provide special eating equipment and utensils for residents who need them and appropriate assistance.
- E
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- D
Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.
Resident Rights6E
- E
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
- E
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
- E
Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.
- D
Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
- D
Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice.
- D
Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
Quality of Life and Care5E
- E
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
- E
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
- D
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
- D
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
- D
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning4E
- D
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
- E
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- E
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
- D
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Pharmacy Service4E
- E
Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.
- E
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
- E
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
- D
Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation4D
- D
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
- D
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
- D
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
- D
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Environmental2E
- E
Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.
- E
Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.
Nursing and Physician Services1E
- E
Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Infection Control1E
- E
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspection history
2025-03-18
24 health deficiencies · 17 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Rights (5 deficiencies)
2023-01-10
7 health deficiencies · 5 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Nutrition and Dietary (4 deficiencies)
2020-09-25
6 health deficiencies · 4 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Nutrition and Dietary (2 deficiencies)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 3 h 13 min of nursing staff time a day, 20 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
3 h 13 min
New York average
3 h 41 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Turnover: 74% of nursing staff and 81% of registered nurses left in the past year, along with 1 administrator.
Reported hours from payroll data the home submits to CMS, divided by its daily resident count. Not adjusted for how sick residents are.
5
Fines and payment denials
$3,387 in federal fines on record over the past three years.
| Date | Penalty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-30 | Fine | $3,387 |
6
Resident outcomes
Quality measures compared with state and national averages. Most come from assessments the home itself reports.
| Measure | This home | State | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days0.5 pts worse | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.8 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days1.5 pts worse | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine7.1 pts better | 98.9% | 91.8% | 93.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine3.8 pts better | 99.0% | 95.2% | 95.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury0.3 pts better | 2.8% | 3.1% | 3.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms8.7 pts better | 11.4% | 20.1% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight2.7 pts better | 3.0% | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication4.2 pts worse | 17.4% | 13.2% | 19.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication1.2 pts worse | 14.9% | 13.7% | 15.4% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained0.2 pts better | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened5 pts better | 6.1% | 11.1% | 12.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased3.2 pts better | 10.5% | 13.7% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder0.5 pts better | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection0.9 pts better | 0.3% | 1.2% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence4.5 pts worse | 23.1% | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers10.3 pts worse | 16.8% | 6.5% | 4.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine20.4 pts better | 98.0% | 77.6% | 82.3% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit6 pts worse | 15.4% | 9.4% | 11.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication0.4 pts better | 0.7% | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine16.2 pts better | 95.1% | 78.9% | 80.1% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission2.4 pts worse | 23.0% | 20.6% | 23.4% |
·
Who owns and runs it
17 owners and managers reported to CMS. The last column counts how many nursing homes each one is tied to.
Show ownership list
| Name | Role | Share | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braunstein, Edward | 5% Or Greater Direct Ownership Interest · Individual | 25% | 2 facilities |
| Gellis, Cheryl | 5% Or Greater Direct Ownership Interest · Individual | 5% | 2 facilities |
| Braunstein, Edward | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Braunstein, Edward | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Braunstein, Michael | Direct Ownership Interest · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Braunstein, Michael | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Einhorn, Benjamin | Direct Ownership Interest · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Einhorn, Benjamin | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Gellis, Cheryl | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Hirsch, Daniel | Direct Ownership Interest · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Hirsch, Daniel | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Mcclarren, Cynthia | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Mcclarren, Cynthia | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Ruthie Hirsch Estate | Direct Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Ruthie Hirsch Estate | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Waldman, Jonathan | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 3 facilities |
| Waldman, Jonathan | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 3 facilities |
·
Fire safety
26 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Smoke9F
- F
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
- F
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- E
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- E
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
- F
Have an enclosure around a vertical opening shaft.
- E
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
- E
Have an enclosure around a vertical opening shaft.
- E
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
- D
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems6F
- F
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- F
Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
- F
Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.
- F
Ensure that personnel concerned with handling of medical gases and cylinders are trained on the risk.
- E
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
- D
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Emergency Preparedness5F
- F
Establish staff and initial training requirements.
- F
Conduct testing and exercise requirements.
- F
Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).
- F
Conduct testing and exercise requirements.
- E
Establish staff and initial training requirements.
Egress2F
- F
Have exits that are accessible at all times.
- F
Install proper backup exit lighting.
Miscellaneous2F
- F
To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
- E
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Electrical1F
- F
Ensure that building systems meet requirements determined by risk assessment procedures performed by qualified personnel.
Services1E
- E
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
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Other homes nearby
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★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- F
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 46 min
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Capstone Center For Rehabilitation And Nursing
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- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 7 min
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Wells Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
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★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
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- 3 h 32 min
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