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My spouse needs more care than I can give

Options that keep a couple together, and the spousal protections Medicaid provides.

Quick answer

Options that keep a couple together, and the spousal protections Medicaid provides.

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Home›By Situation›My spouse needs more care than I can give

Caring for a spouse is different from caring for a parent, financially and otherwise. Minnesota spousal Medicaid protections can shield a meaningful amount of the couple's assets and income for the spouse who stays home.

Short answer

Options that keep a couple together, and the spousal protections Medicaid provides.

What to do, in order

  1. Understand the spousal protections. The 2026 Community Spouse Asset Allowance for Minnesota ranges from $32,532 to $162,660, and the Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance ranges from $2,705 to $4,066.50 a month -- confirm current figures with DHS before relying on them.
  2. Look at communities that keep couples together. Several campuses offer more than one level of care on one site.
  3. Be honest about your own health. Spousal caregivers routinely under-report their own decline.
  4. Get an objective assessment. The Area Agency on Aging serving your county can assess both of you at no cost.

Questions families ask

What senior care options exist in Anoka County?

Anoka County's north metro suburbs, including Blaine and Coon Rapids, are served by the same statewide MDH licensing framework, MAARC abuse-reporting line, and Trellis Area Agency on Aging as the rest of the Twin Cities metro — there is no separate north-metro-specific regulatory or funding structure.

What senior care options exist in Washington County?

Washington County, including Woodbury and Stillwater along the St. Croix River valley, has the metro's highest share of residents age 65+ at 18.8% — meaning it is, proportionally, the fastest-aging of the seven Twin Cities metro counties. It uses the same statewide Trellis, Senior LinkAge Line, MDH licensing, and MAARC resources as the rest of the metro.

Is care different in Bloomington versus other Hennepin County suburbs?

No — Bloomington operates under the identical Minnesota statewide licensing (Chapter 144G), Medicaid waiver (Elderly Waiver/Alternative Care), and abuse-reporting (MAARC) framework as every other city in Hennepin County and the broader metro. What varies city to city is the local supply, style, and pricing of individual communities, not the underlying regulatory or funding structure.

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