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Types of senior care in your area

Six categories, and your state's specific licensing approach changes how families should compare them.

Quick answer

Minnesota licenses assisted living, including memory care, under Chapter 144G, and nursing homes under the separate Chapter 144A.

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Short answer

Minnesota licenses assisted living (including memory care) under Chapter 144G; nursing homes fall under the separate Chapter 144A; independent living and 55-plus housing are typically unlicensed.

Assisted Living

Help with daily activities in a state-licensed community, with meals, housekeeping and medication assistance included. In Minnesota this is the Assisted Living Facility license issued by the Minnesota Department of Health under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G.

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Memory Care

Secured, dementia-specific care. Minnesota requires a distinct MDH license -- Assisted Living Facility with Dementia Care -- not merely a disclosure, for any community operating a secured dementia unit.

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Nursing Homes

Skilled nursing facilities licensed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144A, a separate rule chapter from assisted living, providing 24-hour licensed nursing care and short-term rehabilitation.

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In-Home Care

Caregivers and skilled clinicians who come to the home, from a few hours a week to around-the-clock support.

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Independent Living

Age-restricted apartments and campuses with dining, activities and light services, for adults who do not need daily hands-on care.

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Hospice Care

Comfort-focused care for a life-limiting illness, delivered at home, in a facility, or in a dedicated inpatient unit.

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How Minnesota licenses assisted living. Minnesota licenses assisted living under a single law, Chapter 144G, with two categories: assisted living facility, and assisted living facility with dementia care. Read the full explanation →
Memory care regulation in Minnesota. Minnesota requires a distinct MDH license -- assisted living facility with dementia care -- for any community with a secured memory care unit, not just a disclosure. Read the full explanation →

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.

What's the difference between an MDH complaint and a MAARC abuse report?

MDH's Office of Health Facility Complaints (651-201-4200 metro, 1-800-369-7994 greater Minnesota) handles concerns about a licensed facility's regulatory compliance — things like understaffing or unsafe conditions — during business hours. The Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center, or MAARC (1-844-880-1574), is the separate 24/7 statewide line for reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of a specific vulnerable adult.

Will assisted living facilities in Minnesota be renamed or reclassified soon?

No reclassification is coming, but a new consumer-protection rule takes effect January 1, 2027: the term 'assisted living' becomes legally protected under Minn. Stat. 144G.10, subd. 5, meaning a community can only advertise or describe itself as 'assisted living' if it actually holds an MDH assisted living license under Chapter 144G.

Does an assisted living facility in Minnesota need a separate food service license?

No. Under Minn. Stat. 144G.10, subd. 3, facilities licensed as assisted living under Chapter 144G are not separately required to hold a boarding-establishment, food-and-beverage, hotel/motel, or restaurant license under Minnesota's general lodging and food code, Chapter 157. MDH's assisted living survey process covers that ground instead.

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