Memory Care in Minnesota

Located on the banks of Lake Superior and at the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi river, Minnesota has earned the nickname “Land of 10,000 Lakes” for good reason. In fact, there are 11,842 lakes in the state that cover a total of over 2.6 million acres. Minnesota is truly a nature lover’s paradise, filled with lakes, rivers, wide open prairies, and dense pine forests. Many locals enjoy fishing and hunting during the summer and snowmobiling and ice fishing in the winter. The state has a large Scandinavian influence, and Minnesotans are often known for being “Minnesota Nice” – the locals tend to be hospitable and friendly, and enjoy sharing each other’s company over a home-cooked meal. Whether you’re a fan of relaxing in nature and enjoying outdoor recreation, or you’d prefer spending time in a major city like Minneapolis, Minnesota has something to offer everyone.

Currently, A Place for Mom partners with more than 300 senior living communities in Minnesota that provide memory care. The median monthly cost of memory care in Minnesota is about $5,400.

Memory care facilities in Minnesota are a specialized type of assisted living and are regulated and licensed as Assisted Living Facilities with Dementia Care (ALFDC license). The Minnesota Department of Health licenses, regulates, and inspects the memory care facilities in the state. All licensed facilities must follow strict regulations regarding resident care services, medication administration, staffing, facility cleanliness, and the overall safety of residents. You can look up licenses and contact information for assisted living facilities in Minnesota with their Health Care Provider Directory. Caregiving staff at assisted living facilities with a dementia care license must have additional training in dementia care and directed care. Here are some of the requirements for staff at memory care facilities in Minnesota:

• Staff must be trained in a person-centered care approach.
• Staff must have dementia care training and demonstrate the ability to care for the emotional as well as physical needs of residents. Recurring yearly trainings are also required.
• Staff must be evaluated by the Minnesota Dept. of Health and demonstrate a clear understanding and ability to provide person-centered care to people with dementia.
• Staff should be available to all residents around the clock, and night-time staffing levels should be based on the sleeping patterns of residents.
• In an emergency, when dementia care-trained staff are not available, untrained staff may help. The situation must be documented with the names and positions of the people who provided help.
• People providing staff training on dementia care must have at least two years of work experience in dementia care, health care, or gerontology. All training must be documented.

Minnesota’s Department of Health inspectors enforce a Bill of Rights for Assisted Living Residents. This Bill of Rights outlines how assisted living or memory care providers should treat and care for their residents. When facilities violate these rights, they can be fined or have their license revoked.

Here are some of the assisted living or memory care resident rights enforced by the Minnesota Department of Health:

• The right to appropriate levels of care for the resident’s condition.
• The right to be involved in their care planning.
• The right to refuse care.
• The right to courteous treatment, autonomy, freedom from mistreatment, and freedom to come and go.
• The right to control their personal belongings.
• The right to visitors and social activities.
• The right to privacy and confidentiality of medical records.
• The right to furnish and decorate their rooms.
• The right to choose a roommate.
• The right to food, technology, and counseling or advocacy services.
• The right to make grievances and inquiries.
• The right to information on all costs and charges at the facility.
• The right to information on staff training and all services available to them.
• The right to organize resident, family, and staff councils.

Residents of memory care facilities have unique needs that are considered with each one of these rights. For instance, residents of memory care facilities are not allowed to leave on their own, but they do have a right to leave with a family member who oversees their care. A family member who oversees the care of the resident with dementia can advocate for the resident’s rights in the memory care facility.

Minnesota Department of Health contact information

Assisted living unit: 651-201-4200

General information: 651-201-5000

Toll-free: 888-345-0823

Violations

The Minnesota Department of Health conducts unannounced inspections of all licensed memory care facilities at least once every two years. If there is a complaint from a resident or their family, then the Department of Health will conduct an impromptu inspection.

To access inspection reports and possible state or federal violations, you can use the Minnesota Department of Health’s Provider Complaints portal to search facilities in your area.

You can also look up surveys using the Health Department’s Provider Survey search portal, or email health.assistedliving@state.mn.us for survey information on assisted living facilities in your area.

Remember that memory care facilities are considered a type of assisted living. So, while searching, you will want to select “assisted living” in the “provider type” box.