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Memory Care in your area

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.

Quick answer

Minnesota regulates memory care under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G (or Chapter 144A for nursing homes).

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Memory care is secured, dementia-specific assisted living. In Minnesota, memory care requires a distinct MDH license — "assisted living facility with dementia care" — not merely a disclosure or voluntary certification; any community operating a secured dementia unit must hold this specific license under Minn. Stat. 144G.10, subd. 2(b).

Short answer

We list 43 verified memory care providers across your metro. Memory care is secured, dementia-specific assisted living.

Three things worth knowing first

  • Ask to see the community's MDH "assisted living facility with dementia care" license directly, by name.
  • Ask specifically about wandering and exit-seeking. Secured courtyards, door alarms and staffing patterns vary far more than brochures suggest.
  • There is usually no published median price for memory care. Get quotes in writing from each community.
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 →

Verified memory care across the region

We list 43 verified memory care providers across your metro. The full table with addresses and counties lives in the directory.

See all 43 in the directory →

Memory Care by city

Questions families ask

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.

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