Question 1

What's the difference between a short-term rehab stay and moving straight into assisted living after a hospital stay?

Accepted Answer

Short-term rehab (skilled nursing care, often Medicare-covered for a limited period after a qualifying hospital stay) focuses on recovering function — physical therapy, wound care, medication stabilization — with an expected return home or to a lower level of care. Assisted living, licensed under Chapter 144G, is a longer-term housing-plus-care setting for someone who needs ongoing daily support rather than short-term recovery.

Question 2

Can a hospital discharge my parent to a nursing home against our wishes?

Accepted Answer

A hospital cannot force a specific placement, but it can determine a patient is medically ready for discharge and is not obligated to keep someone hospitalized once acute care is no longer needed; families can request the hospital's list of options and, for Medicare patients, invoke formal discharge appeal rights if they believe the discharge itself is unsafe or premature.

Question 3

Who pays for a nursing home stay right after a hospitalization in Minnesota?

Accepted Answer

Medicare Part A can cover a limited number of days of medically necessary skilled nursing facility care following a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three days, subject to coinsurance after day 20. After Medicare coverage ends, the resident is privately responsible unless they qualify for Medical Assistance, at which point Minnesota's long-term-care Medicaid eligibility and spend-down rules apply.

Question 4

What is a MnCHOICES assessment and why does it matter for hospital discharge planning?

Accepted Answer

MnCHOICES is Minnesota's standardized long-term-care needs assessment used to determine whether someone needs a nursing-facility level of care and is functionally eligible for programs like the Elderly Waiver or Alternative Care. Starting this assessment as early as possible during a hospital stay — rather than waiting until after discharge — can shorten the gap before waiver services begin.

Question 5

My parent has been diagnosed with dementia — where do I start in the Twin Cities?

Accepted Answer

Start by calling the Senior LinkAge Line (1-800-333-2433), operated by Trellis, for care navigation and options counseling. If a memory care community is eventually needed, confirm it holds MDH's 'assisted living facility with dementia care' license (Minn. Stat. 144G.10, subd. 2(b)) — verify this directly through the MDH Health Care Provider Directory rather than relying on marketing materials.

Community	Care type	Address	County
Abiitan Mill City	Assisted Living	428 South 2nd Street Minneapolis, MN 55401	Hennepin
Jones-Harrison Senior Living	Nursing Home	3700 Cedar Lake Ave Minneapolis, MN 55416	Hennepin
Care Suites of Edina by Vivie	Assisted Living	7400 York Ave S Edina, MN 55435	Hennepin
The Waters of Edina	Assisted Living	6300 Colonial Way Edina, MN 55436	Hennepin
Mainstreet Village	Assisted Living	7601 Lyndale Ave S Richfield, MN 55423	Hennepin
The Glenn Hopkins	Assisted Living	1011 Feltl Ct Hopkins, MN 55343	Hennepin
Covenant Living of Golden Valley	Assisted Living	5800 St. Croix Avenue North Golden Valley, MN 55422	Hennepin
Copperfield Hill	Assisted Living	4200 40th Ave N Robbinsdale, MN 55422	Hennepin
Suite Living of Eden Prairie	Assisted Living	9360 Hennepin Town Rd Eden Prairie, MN 55347	Hennepin
Havenwood of Minnetonka	Assisted Living	17710 Old Excelsior Boulevard Minnetonka, MN 55345	Hennepin
The Willows of Arbor Lakes	Memory Care	11955 80th Avenue North Maple Grove, MN 55369	Hennepin
Amira Choice Champlin	Assisted Living	119 East Hayden Lake Road Champlin, MN 55316	Hennepin
Suite Living of Brooklyn Park	Assisted Living	8500 Regent Ave N Brooklyn Park, MN 55443	Hennepin
Saint Therese of Oxbow Lake	Assisted Living	5200 Oak Grove Parkway Brooklyn Park, MN 55443	Hennepin
Friendship Village of Bloomington	Independent Living	8100 Highwood Dr Bloomington, MN 55438	Hennepin
EagleCrest	Assisted Living	2945 Lincoln Dr Roseville, MN 55113	Ramsey
New Perspective White Bear Lake	Assisted Living	3820 Hoffman Rd White Bear Lake, MN 55110	Ramsey
Shoreview Senior Living	Assisted Living	4710 Cumberland Street Shoreview, MN 55126	Ramsey
Suite Living of Vadnais Heights	Assisted Living	580 Liberty Way Vadnais Heights, MN 55127	Ramsey
Ecumen Lakeview Commons	Assisted Living	1200 North Lakewood Drive Maplewood, MN 55119	Ramsey
Cerenity Senior Care – Marian	Assisted Living	225 Frank Street St. Paul, MN 55106	Ramsey
Episcopal Church Home	Nursing Home	490 East Lynnhurst Ave St. Paul, MN 55104	Ramsey
New Perspective Eagan	Assisted Living	3810 Alder Lane Eagan, MN 55122	Dakota
Emerald Crest by Cassia – Burnsville	Memory Care	451 East Travelers Trail Burnsville, MN 55337	Dakota
Benedictine Living Community – Regina	Nursing Home	1008 1st Street West Hastings, MN 55033	Dakota
Havenwood of Burnsville	Independent Living	14401 Grand Avenue Burnsville, MN 55306	Dakota
Highview Hills by Vivie	Assisted Living	20150 Highview Avenue Lakeville, MN 55044	Dakota
Suite Living of Rosemount	Assisted Living	14871 Business Parkway Rosemount, MN 55068	Dakota
White Pine Senior Living of Mendota Heights	Assisted Living	745 South Plaza Drive Mendota Heights, MN 55120	Dakota
Crest View Senior Community at Blaine	Assisted Living	12016 Ulysses Street NE Blaine, MN 55434	Anoka
Crest View Lutheran Home	Nursing Home	4444 Reservoir Blvd NE Columbia Heights, MN 55421	Anoka
The Homestead at Anoka	Assisted Living	3002 4th Avenue Anoka, MN 55303	Anoka
Epiphany Senior Housing	Assisted Living	10955 Hanson Boulevard NW Coon Rapids, MN 55433	Anoka
Boutwells Landing	Assisted Living	5600 Norwich Parkway Oak Park Heights, MN 55082	Washington
Saint Therese of Woodbury	Assisted Living	7555 Bailey Road Woodbury, MN 55129	Washington
Amira Choice Forest Lake	Assisted Living	231 W Broadway Avenue Forest Lake, MN 55025	Washington
New Perspective Mahtomedi	Memory Care	111 East Avenue Mahtomedi, MN 55115	Washington
Norris Square	Nursing Home	6995 80th St S Cottage Grove, MN 55016	Washington
Catholic Eldercare, Albert J. Hofstede Care Center	Nursing Home	817 Main Street NE Minneapolis, MN 55413	Hennepin
The Waters on 50th	Independent Living	3500 W 50th Street Minneapolis, MN 55410	Hennepin
Minnehaha Senior Living	Independent Living	3733 23rd Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407	Hennepin
Nine Mile Creek Senior Living	Independent Living	2301 Village Lane Bloomington, MN 55431	Hennepin
Stonecrest	Independent Living	8725 Promenade Ln Woodbury, MN 55125	Washington

Memory Care in your metro

Questions families ask

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