The Land of 10,000 Lakes, The North Star State, The Gopher State… what you call Minnesota, there is a lot to do and see in this state, and it’s a good place to settle down and to find senior care. There are a lot of options for assisted living facilities in this state, so we’re going to help you understand some of the nuances and what to look for, along with what you can expect, and additional some information on Medicaid for senior care in Minnesota, along with some other important things to look for that you may not have even considered yet.

From Minneapolis to Duluth, from Edina to St. Cloud, there’s a lot to do and see here. The Mall of America is a massive shopping complex with countless attractions and stores to visit, and is a lot of fun for people of all ages. If you’re with the grand kids, Nickelodeon Universe is always a big hit. There’s the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory which is a beauty place to spend a relaxing day, and the Sea Life Aquarium for a glimpse at another world.

As for outdoor activities, this is one of the best states, whether you’re a hunter, bird watcher, or just looking for a nice stroll through a pretty park.

Let’s go over some quick facts about Minnesota and then we’ll dive right into everything you need to know about assisted living in Minnesota.

Quick Facts about Minnesota

• The Mall of America is the size of 78 football fields, that’s 9.5 million square feet in size.
• The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is the largest of its kind in the entire country.
• Minnesota has more shoreline than Florida, California, and Hawaii combined, with roughly 90,000 miles.
• In terms of total land mass, Minnesota ranks 12^th place with 86,936 square miles. There’s a lot of open space here and nature to appreciate.
• The population of Minnesota is 5,519,952, which ranks it in 22^nd place compared to the rest of the United States of America.
• The median income in Minnesota is on the higher side, at $68,730 which can sometimes lead to higher costs of care in States with above-average incomes, in Minnesota the cost of assisted living is below the national average, and there are options through Medicaid for those who need some help as well, we’ll cover that at the bottom of this page.

Types of Assisted Living in Minnesota

Care in an assisted living facility includes daily meals, help with things like managing a resident’s money, helping arrange medical services, helping with transportation when the resident has things to do whether it’s leisure activities or appointments, helping with a variety of daily tasks like hygiene and laundry and such, assistance with housekeeping, and more.

Care is also available for residents who are living with Alzheimer’s and similar conditions, and requires additional steps and an in-depth outline of the resident’s needs. They try to involve family as much as possible, and things must be very well documented. If your loved one requires this additional care, it’s important to meet with a facility to learn what their philosophies and styles of care involve to ensure it’s a good fit.

Requirements for Moving in or Moving Out

Initial assessment information: An initial assessment is always an important first step. This allows the facility to ensure that they’re able to meet the specific needs for each resident, and to make sure everyone is on the same page about what’s provided.

In certain instances, a resident may be required to leave a facility if their needs aren’t being met, for example if their condition worsens and they require more advanced nursing or medical care, or if their mental health is deteriorating in a way that puts themselves, or other residents, in danger. Different facilities will be equipped to handle different levels of care,

General Information About Care

Bathroom requirements: The washroom requirements can vary a lot from state to state. We weren’t able to track down the minimum requirements for Minnesota, however we’re continuing to reach out to try to determine exactly what’s required in terms of how many washrooms, including sinks, toilets, and tubs, must be present for each resident. We’ve seen ratios all the way from each resident being required to be provided with their own private full washroom, to places where up to fifteen residents must share the same bathtub.

In any case, facilities can always opt to go above and beyond what the minimum requirements are, so we strongly encourage you to simply ask the facility that you’re interested in, and they’ll let you know exactly what the washroom situation is like for each resident.

Medication handling: The staff at the facility are responsible for either helping with the administration of medicine for a resident, or with helping them to administer their own medicine. Furthermore, they may help find an outside third party that can help in some cases. It really depends on the types of medication that the resident is prescribed, the residents ability to take it themselves, or whether or not they need help with it.

Fire and Safety information: Minnesota has their own set of fire safety regulations and codes that must be followed by each and every licensed facility.

Staff Training and Requirements

There’s a training process for all staff members who interact with residents in a facility. The level of training will depend on the role of the care giver, and the specific requirements of the resident they’re working for. For example, if someone is working directly with residents who require memory care due to dementia or Alzheimer’s, then the training will be tailored to address the unique needs of those conditions.

Medicaid for Assisted Living in Minnesota and Additional Information

Medicaid covers assisted living for residents in Minnesota, and for more information we recommend reaching out to the Department of Health’s Program Assurance Unit. A facility must be properly licensed in order to receive the necessary funding, so this is also something that’s worth checking into. Speaking to somebody at the facility, they’ll know right away exactly how Medicaid works, and will be able to help you out.