Overview of Minnesota Assisted Living

Known to many as “The Land of 10,000 Lakes,” the name ‘Minnesota’ actually comes from a Dakota word for “water that reflects the sky.”

Seniors who choose assisted living in Minnesota will be delighted with the numerous recreation possibilities throughout the state—whether they are based in nature or the bustle of city life. This Midwestern state is among the healthiest in the country and has a highly literate population.

The average cost of assisted living in Minnesota is $3,468 per month. This is higher than the national average which is $2,877 per month.

 

The majority of residents enjoying assisted living in Minnesota pay for the expense out-of-pocket. In fact, a survey found that 81% of assisted living residents paid for the services using their own funds. There are, however, government funds to help cover assisted living costs through the state’s Elderly Waiver program.

Assisted living in Minnesota encompasses a wide range of building types and service packages, intended to give residents a variety of options. The building types include:

• Market-rate and subsidized apartments specifically built to accommodate “aging in place.”
• Licensed board and lodging establishments, which offer private or semi-private accommodations. These communities do not have private kitchens and instead serve three meals a day. They may also provide a full range of health-related assisted living services.
• Licensed adult foster care homes that offer a full range of serves in a small, home-like setting. You can find Adult Foster Care Homes in our Care Homes category.

The service packages in each of these facilities can vary greatly. Most offer daily meals, housekeeping, assistance with activities of daily living, recreation and socialization activities, and emergency call services. Minnesota assisted living facilities may also offer more intensive care for residents in need of more assistance with everyday tasks such as medication administration, transportation to medical appointments and general, 24-hour care.

Assisted living in Minnesota is regulated by a two-fold approach: building requirements and service requirements.

• Building Requirements – Communities intended for assisted living must register with the Department of Health and have a written contract with all residents. The building must also comply with all building/fire codes, have a licensed kitchen to prepare meals, and meet a variety of state and federal statutory requirements.
• Service Requirements – Any community providing health-related services (dressing, grooming, bathing assistance, etc.) must be provided under a Minnesota Department of Health home care license.

Additionally, Minnesota instituted a revolutionary approach to assisted living with the passage of the Housing-with-Services Contract Act. This Act requires each assisted living facility to address 17 contractual items with each prospective resident. This is intended to provide each senior with the needed information to make a sound decision regarding their place of residence.

On October 1, 2011, seniors became required to participate in mandatory long-term care consultation before moving into assisted living facilities or senior housing, regardless of whether they were privately paying. Though there were efforts to repeal this requirement during the 2011-2012 legislation session, the requirement wasn’t repealed, and there were actually updates made to the language.

To help Minnesota seniors makes sense of the requirements, the Minnesota Board on Aging provides information regarding what is required when transitioning into assisted living and how to receive a consulting exemption.

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.