Assisted Living in North Dakota

North Dakota’s assisted living communities tailor care services to the needs of individuals while offering a variety of activities for seniors. These communities also provide support with activities of daily living meals, and maintenance-free living. In North Dakota, the median cost of assisted living is about $4,400 per month or $52,800 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data on assisted living facilities.^[01]

The median cost of assisted living in North Dakota ranges from approximately $3,200 to $6,000 per month.^[01] When considering costs, looking at the median rather than averages helps to provide a range that isn’t influenced by extremely high or low prices. This range is an estimate based on A Place for Mom’s internal data, which includes all costs and fees for add-on services that referred families paid at partnering assisted living facilities in North Dakota.

The level of care a resident needs can affect the price of assisted living. Special services and care units for seniors living with dementia can often increase costs. Other factors may include:

• Location
• Room size
• Pet fees
• Admission fees
• Amenities

While families typically pay out of pocket for assisted living room and board fees, some North Dakotans may qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, or veteran’s benefits. These programs will not usually pay for room and board, but they can help reduce assisted living costs by covering some qualified care services.

North Dakotans may be eligible for Medicare or Medicaid, which can help offset the costs of assisted living by paying for personal care and medical services. Private insurance can also be helpful by paying for medical costs and in certain cases, veteran’s benefits may cover some room and board fees.

Planning ahead is vital to preparing your family for assisted living costs. Advance planning also usually leads to more payment options. There are numerous ways to pay for senior care in North Dakota, and it’s common for families to blend a variety of payment methods. The following section has information on several resources, including private pay, public insurance such as Medicaid, private insurance options, and veteran’s benefits.

The North Dakota Department of Human Services licenses basic care facilities and assisted living facilities separately. The primary difference is that residents of basic care facilities must be able to evacuate the building during an emergency without assistance. Assisted living facilities must provide staffing capable of assisting residents who are unable to leave a building on their own.

It’s important to note that basic care facilities are not certified by Medicare or Medicaid. While this means that residents cannot use Medicare or Medicaid to pay for services, North Dakota does have state programs to help seniors pay for services in a basic care facility.

Assisted living facilities must also have at least five living units for five or more individuals and are required to provide or coordinate round-the-clock support services to help residents live as independently as possible.

Examples of supportive services may include:^[09]

• Assistance with activities of daily living such as personal hygiene, dressing, and bathing
• Assistance with instrumental activities of daily living like laundry and meals
• Recreational, social, and therapeutic activities
• Food and dining services
• Medication administration

North Dakota assisted living and basic care communities are required to renew licenses annually and are subject to inspections every 24 months.^[10] North Dakota no longer offers assisted living inspection reports online but the state’s health and human services department updates its list of licensed assisted living facilities annually. The list also details the number of living units and extra services that a community offers.

Families who want to research licensed assisted living facilities in specific cities in North Dakota can use the Department of Health and Human Services Facility search tool. A search will return currently licensed communities, contact information, and the number of beds in the facility. Steps for conducting a search: First choose the “Basic Care” option in the “Health Facility Type” dropdown menu. Then, choose the facility’s county and city before clicking the search button.

The specific requirements licensed assisted living and basic care communities in North Dakota must follow are evaluated during inspections. DHHS staff conducting the inspection are called surveyors and are responsible for observing the facility and conducting interviews with staff and residents. The following examples highlight the types of details surveyors note during an inspection:^[11]

• Resident quality of life, which may include observations of resident and staff interactions, resident grooming, and activities.
• Resident admissions and care records.
• Condition of kitchen and dietary plans.
• Medication management and administration protocols

How easy is it to access assisted living records in North Dakota?

We developed a system to rate each state on how easy – or difficult – it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and compiled tips to help you in your search.

States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.

Access to North Dakota assisted living records: High

Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of North Dakota is high. Key findings that informed this rating include:

• North Dakota has above average transparency into assisted living records and a generally good website for looking into these records.
• North Dakota was marked down for having inspections that occur on a less than annual basis.

How to look up North Dakota assisted living licenses and records

• Visit North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services Facility Search to search for currently licensed assisted living providers. First choose the “Basic Care” option in the “Health Facility Type” dropdown menu. Then choose the facility’s county and city before clicking the search button.
• Visit the US Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator to locate the appropriate long-term-care ombudsman. He or she can often provide specific information about communities and their backgrounds.
• If you need to make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to get records, consider browsing these state-by-state resources from the National Freedom of Information Coalition, which includes sample state-specific FOIA letters.

How we arrived at our North Dakota rating

We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:

1.   Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2.   If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? Yes
3.   If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? Yes
4.   Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? Yes
5.   If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently (within 90 days)? Yes
6.   If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? No or N/A
7.   If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? Yes
8.   Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes
9.   Is capacity shown? Yes
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? No
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? Yes
12. Can the state fine a facility? Yes
13. What is the frequency of inspections? [Every 24 months]
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No