Assisted living in Minnesota
Even though Minnesota is widely known for its cold winters, this is not everything this state has to offer. For example, life is more affordable in the Twin Cities, when compared to other metropolitan areas. Because of the big number of outdoor activities during summer, outdoorsy people will love the summers in Minnesota. In case you consider yourself to be a foodie, you’ll be happy to find out that the state has a huge number of bars and restaurants to visit.
Are you considering Minnesota for retirement? If that’s the case, you should at least get more familiarized with the senior living costs, facilities, and benefits that await you once you move there. In order to make the process as easy as possible, here, at Assisted Living Facilities, we have collected most of the important information about the senior living options in Minnesota, be it independent living or nursing care, including the various support systems that have been put in place, and the amenities that each has to offer. If you already have an idea as to where in Minnesota you’d like to retire to, feel free to use our list of cities below and find the closest senior living option to the city of your choosing.
Boasting a housing index of 103.50, Minnesota is considered to be a more expensive state to live in, when put in comparison with some other states in the nation. On the other hand, when the comparison is made with metropolitan areas in other states like California (which have a housing index of over 150), the living costs in the Twin Cities are lower.
Before you make the decision whether or not you want to retire here, let’s crunch down some numbers and see what the senior living costs are like in Minnesota. Home healthcare has an average monthly cost of approximately $4,957. Home healthcare services allow seniors to continue living in their homes while a designated service aide provides assistance with housekeeping and daily tasks.
On average, adult daycare costs can get around $1,788 per month. For this price, seniors will be provided housing at a supervised facility, allowing the primary caregivers to take care of their own chores and obligations knowing that their loved elderly is in safe hands. It is worth noting that adult daycare doesn’t provide skilled nursing care meaning this type of senior care is best suited for seniors that are still mostly active and independent but could still benefit from socialization and activities so as to keep themselves busy. Some therapeutic and health services are also provided here.
Assisted living facilities in Minnesota have an average monthly cost of about $3,585. This type of senior care is often chosen by seniors who need a higher level of help with daily chores and personal care. Aside from that, assisted living facilities also provide health services to their residents, allowing them to have a comfortable stay while at the facility.
For seniors that need nursing home care in Minnesota, there are two options to choose from. Semi-private rooms are a cheaper option, with an average monthly cost of $8,174. Seniors that want more privacy can opt for a private room for the average monthly cost of $8,988. No matter which option is chosen, aside from housing, every nursing home provides their residents with help with personal care, medications, ‘round the clock supervision and skilled nursing care, including therapies and rehabilitation.
Benefits of Choosing Minnesota for Senior Living
If you need more reasons to decide if Minnesota is the right state to spend your golden years at, we’ve got you covered. Below, we have listed three benefits that await you in Minnesota.
Senior-Oriented Attractions
There is a plethora of senior-friendly attractions in Minnesota. To start off, The Mall of America in Bloomington is a place popular among avid shoppers. Moving on, the Lutsen mountains are open for visits, and residents and visitors alike can visit the Aerial Lift Bridge, have a taste of the World’s Best Donuts in Grand Marais, and last but not least, take a walk in the Minneapolis Sculpture garden.
Clear Seasonal Distinction
If you are a person that loves what every season has to offer, retiring in Minnesota will surely be the right choice. Falls in Minnesota are particularly gorgeous because of the changing leaves of the many distinct species of trees, and the temperature is perfect for walks and exploration. You don’t have to worry about weather safety neither, as the worst possible thing that can happen is a blizzard.
Cleanliness
If you’re coming from a metropolitan area like New York, you’d surely be concerned about the cleanliness of the place you’re moving to. As far as Minnesota’s cities are concerned, cities like Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, and Duluth have a higher degree of cleanliness than many other cities in the nation and, as a matter of fact, the Travel and Leisure Magazine named St. Paul as the second cleanest city in the whole nation. Minnesota offers its residents clean air, plenty of hiking and biking trails, a plethora of greenery, and everything that can contribute to a healthy and happy living.
Senior Living Options
When considering retirement, Minnesota has the usual senior living options that you would encounter in all the other states. These include independent living, assisted living, memory care, and nursing homecare. To get a better idea as to which one of these suits your situation best, keep reading below where we went into more details about each of these.
Independent Living
There are 370 independent living facilities operating all over Minnesota. This type of senior living is best suited for seniors that are still mostly active and independent, without the need of constant care and supervision. The average monthly cost range for independent living facilities in Minnesota is anywhere from $476 and up to $3,960.
There are also lots of active senior communities for seniors aged 55+ or 65+, providing apartment living for those that prefer that type of living. There are many active senior communities to choose from in Minnesota, and no matter where they are, they usually offer many amenities like gyms, walking and hiking trails, clubhouses, meeting rooms, pools and jacuzzies, and much more.
Assisted Living
Over 850 assisted living facilities are operating statewide in Minnesota, and their main goal is providing seniors with professional and skilled caregivers, quality healthcare, including access to various social and local activities. Seniors residing in these assisted living facilities will be provided help with housekeeping, laundry services, personal transportation, meal preparation, as well as ‘round the clock staff that takes care of their safety.
The average monthly cost for staying at assisted living facilities in Minnesota is anywhere from as low as $867 to as high as $7,200. The more affordable facilities can be found in the Rochester area, while the more expensive ones are located in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington areas.
Memory Care in Minnesota
Seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s, dementia, or dementia-related illnesses can find solace at one of the 590 memory care centers in Minnesota. The average annual cost for memory care centers in the Rochester area is about $66,726, while metropolitan areas like Minneapolis and St. Paul can get as pricey as $76,131 per year, with an average monthly cost of $17,325. Memory care centers are designed in such a manner as to minimize the risk of residents getting lost, as the hallways are easy to navigate through.
Nursing Homes
As it is with most other states in the nation, the senior population in Minnesota is on the rise, and it is projected to double in numbers between 2010 and 2030, which will mean that almost 2 in 5 residents will be in their golden years by then. Another interesting fact is that just in the years 2010 to 2020, Minnesota will have more seniors aged 65+ than in the past forty years together. This isn’t as bad as it sounds though, as there are over 1,300 senior living providers operating in Minnesota at the moment.
Adult daycare facilities provide their residents with everything they need in order to pass their days as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. The staff working at these facilities provide seniors help with daily medications, three nutritional meals, and social activities like painting, outdoor walks, and much more. The average cost range for adult daycare in Minnesota can get as low as $1,350 per month in the North Mankato area, and as high as $3,750 per month in the metropolitan areas like Minneapolis, Bloomington and St. Paul. Overall, the average monthly cost for adult daycare facilities in Minnesota is $1,950.
There are 118 hospices in Minnesota, and they are considered as an advanced form of senior care, providing their residents with more than only pain management at end-of-life. Residents at these hospices have social workers that provide grief counseling to both patients and their families so as to ease the emotional pain and give them a piece of mind. The costs associated with hospice care are often covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurances. The administrative staff at these hospice centers will help seniors and their family go over the paperwork required to make them eligible for full or partial coverage - whichever is possible. For seniors that have spiritual needs, chaplain services are also available, and they are even offered funeral planning.
Respite care facilities provide temporary housing for seniors that have recently undergone some intensive surgery or are recovering from a serious illness, allowing their primary caregiver who is usually an unpaid family member to take care of their daily tasks and obligations. This can be done in two ways, i.e., a skilled professional can be provided to the senior at their own home, or the senior can be provided with housing at a supervised respite care facility. The staff at these facilities will provide help with personal care, meal preparation, personal transportation, ‘round the clock on-site physicians, health monitoring, and much more. 528 respite care facilities are operating in Minnesota, with an average annual cost of $83,264. The more affordable respite care facilities have an average monthly cost of $6,090, while the more expensive ones that are located in Minneapolis and St. Paul (including the metropolitan areas around them) can get pricier, with an average monthly cost of $15,530.
