North Dakota is known as the Peace Garden State, and it’s a beautiful place as long as you don’t mind a colder winter. Overall, there are a lot of reasons that one might choose to live here, from the outdoors, the quieter pace of life, the large land area with one of the lowest population densities in the country, the low cost of living, and just lots of room to be yourself and enjoy life.

Out of the entire country, North Dakota has some of the lowest levels of tourism, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a desirable place. There are pros and cons of anywhere you’re going to live, and frankly it really comes down to the interests, lifestyle, and preferences of the person who is going to be staying there. Also, there are great and not-so-great facilities in every state, and finding the best senior care homes in North Dakota that meet your budget, or an assisted living facilities that’s perfectly equipped for you or your loved ones, can make all the difference. We’re here to help make sense of all the different information, we’ve gathered all the most important facts and figures, and put them into one place to help you with your research and to make an informed decision. Before we dive into the more complex aspects, let’s cover some of the basics of North Dakota as a whole.

When it comes to nature and history, North Dakota is a great come true. Not to mention being very close to Canada to take advantage of a very strong US dollar. The Theodore Roosevelt National Park, On-A-Slant Village, the Fort Union Trading Post, and Fort Mandan, all offer a glimpse into the past, and beauty or historical significance in their own ways. The Fargo Air Museum is worth visiting for aviation fans. There’s also a lot of great food, and other types of venues to see, based on your interests. Something for everyone, from Bismarck to Fargo and everywhere in between.

Quick Facts about North Dakota

• North Dakota is ranked 47^th in terms of total population, with only 757,952 people living there as per 2016 estimates.
• North Dakota is ranked 19^th when it comes to land area, with 70,697 square miles to explore.
• The median household income in North Dakota is $57,415, putting it right in the middle in 25^th place overall in the United States of America.
• Taxes are below average on purchases, and for people who enjoy nature, the outdoors, fishing, hunting, it’s a perfect place to live.

Types of Assisted Living in State

There are two main types of living facilities in North Dakota, depending on the unique needs of an individual. There is a BCF (Basic care facility) along with an ACF (assisted care facility.) The basic care facility is for people who aren’t quite able to necessarily live on their own anymore, or are just looking for a little extra help, but can still maintain a high level of independence. On the other hand, the assisted care facility can help with additional levels of care, while still putting an emphasis on maintaining a certain level of independence, but also recognizing that at a certain point, people just need a little more help with certain things.

For those who require help in regards to memory care in North Dakota, people living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it’s important to find a facility that is equipped to handle that, even if it’s in the early onset stages, because unfortunately these types of things tend to progress over time and get worse, so it’s more desirable to start off in a place that can work with the resident and build a history of care, rather than having to move them soon after getting settled in the initial residence. Sometimes, people will look at these types of things like “It’s not that bad yet”, but it’s better to be prepared than to be naively optimistic. Of course, follow the advice of medical professionals and those who deal with this type of thing every day, this is just a little food for thought.

Requirements for Moving in or Moving Out

Initial assessment information: Regardless of the type of facility, an initial assessment is required in order to determine the perfect level of care for each resident, and to ensure they’re in the correct type of facility.

General Information About Care

Bathroom requirements: The bathroom requirements in North Dakota in assisted living homes state that in a basic care facility, it’s required to have one toilet for every four people living there and one bathing facility for every fifteen people. However, in an assisted living home, the requirements are much better, stating that each resident is entitled to their own private bathroom.

Medication handling: Staff, even if they don’t have the specific license, are in fact able to administer medication if they have undergone the necessary training, and under the supervision of a registered nurse.

Fire and Safety information: Every facility needs to have a thorough plan that covers how to handle a variety of emergency situations, including fire drills and more. All staff members should be intimately familiar with these plans, and drills are also required. Each facility must comply with all fire codes as set out by the state, along with locally, and up to the federal level.

Staff Training and Requirements

Training for staff members in various types of assisted living environments in ND involves yearly updates, and covers things like understanding and enforcing the rights of residents, how to prevent the spread of infections if they find their way into the facility, dealing with both physical and also mental health concerns, and also how to handle a variety of safety and emergency situations, such as evacuations in the event of a fire.

Medicaid for Assisted Living in State and Additional Information

For more information on the different types of care, you can contact a facility directly if you’ve chosen one, or you can reach out to the Division of Health Facilities and Life Safety under the Department of Health in North Dakota.

When it comes to Medicaid for those who qualify, certain aspects are covered, however other aspects aren’t – and it depends on the level of care, and where it is taking place.