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Minneapolis Senior Advisor

About Minneapolis Senior Advisor

HomeAbout Minneapolis Senior Advisor

What we do

We help families across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro find senior care, and we publish what we can verify about how senior care works in Minnesota. That is the whole business.

How we are paid, stated plainly

Our service is free to families because senior living communities pay us a referral fee when a family we introduce moves in. We think you should know that on the first page you read rather than find it in a footer, because it is the thing most likely to bias a referral service.

Two consequences worth naming. First, we have a financial interest in you choosing a community that pays referral fees, and not every good option does. Ask us about those anyway; we will tell you what we know. Second, the fee does not vary by community in a way that should steer a recommendation, and if an advisor ever pushes a specific building without a reason that makes sense to you, push back.

Our editorial standard

We publish figures we can trace to a primary source. Where a widely-repeated number cannot be traced — metro-specific cost of care data is the clearest example — we say that instead of repeating it. Where a source is disputed, we flag the dispute.

What we are not

  • We are not affiliated with any state health department, department of aging, Area Agency on Aging, or any government agency.
  • We do not provide medical, legal or financial advice.
  • We do not operate, own or manage any senior living community.
  • We do not publish paid reviews or rankings.

Questions families ask

What license does an assisted living facility need in Minnesota?

Every assisted living community in the Twin Cities must hold an Assisted Living Facility license issued by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 144G. This has been mandatory statewide since August 1, 2021, replacing the older, looser 'Housing with Services' registration model. Facilities must also employ an assisted living director credentialed by the Board of Executives for Long Term Services and Supports.

Does Minnesota require a special license for memory care?

Yes. Any community with a secured dementia care unit must hold the 'assisted living facility with dementia care' license category under Minn. Stat. 144G.10, subd. 2(b) — a base assisted living license is not enough. That license carries two extra legal requirements: dementia-specific staff training under Minn. Stat. 144G.83, and a mandatory written pre-admission disclosure under Minn. Stat. 325F.72.

How do I check if a facility is licensed in Minnesota?

Use the free MDH Health Care Provider Directory to search by provider type ('Assisted Living Facilities' or 'Assisted Living Facilities with Dementia Care'), city, or county — it shows current license status and the administrator of record. For a fuller quality picture, cross-check the Minnesota Assisted Living Report Card (or the Nursing Home Report Card for skilled nursing), which shows resident health, safety, and staffing ratings from MDH surveys.

Is independent living the same as assisted living in Minnesota?

No. Independent living apartments or cooperatives are housing only, with no licensed care services, and are not regulated under Chapter 144G. Assisted living facilities, by contrast, must hold an MDH license because they deliver health-related and supportive services — help with bathing, medication management, mobility — to residents where they live.

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