In March 2017, a woman met with the admissions coordinator at Madison York Assisted Living in Queens, inquiring about placement for her mother-in-law, who was using a wheelchair while recovering from hip surgery.

“Wheelchairs are not allowed in the facility,” the coordinator told her. “Walkers, canes, rollators, hemi canes, something like that is acceptable.” But, he went on, “we cannot accommodate a wheelchair-bound patient.”

In November, another woman seeking assisted living for her mother-in-law emailed the admissions coordinator at VillageCare at 46 & Ten in Manhattan. “We do not admit residents on wheelchairs,” the coordinator wrote back.

By phone, the woman explained that her mother-in-law had used a chair for decades and could transfer in and out without assistance. The coordinator wouldn’t budge. “We could not accept anyone in a wheelchair,” she said.