top

North Dakota Residential Alzheimer’s Care (Memory Care): Laws, Costs & Financial Help

Last Updated: June 17, 2026

Table of Contents

Legal Definition of Assisted Living / Memory Care in North DakotaNorth Dakota Memory Care CostsLaws & RegulationsAdmissions Process & RequirementsFacility / ResidenceStaff & TrainingEvictions & DischargesFinancial AssistanceNorth Dakota Medicaid State Plan – Personal Care Services (MSP-PC)Home and Community Based Services WaiverVeterans Affairs (VA)SSIOther Options

Free Medicaid Eligibility Test

Financial Assistance for Dementia Care

All-Natural Dementia Treatment

Get Paid to Care for a Family Member

Find Assisted Living/Memory Care Near You

 

North Dakota has unique distinctions for its assisted living facilities and it is important to know what they mean when you are looking for memory care. Assisted living facilities in North Dakota are a term for communities where mostly elderly people live together, but they cannot offer care to people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. A basic care facility is the only type of residence that can offer the personal and health care required by people with dementia.

Basic care facilities are licensed by the state’s Department of Health to provide housing, food, and 24-hour support. If a basic care facility offers memory care, also called Alzheimer’s units, they must be licensed based on written policies that specify practices specifically beneficial for people with dementia. Those practices include activities that encourage socialization. Memory care homes need to give residents the freedom “to control their schedules and activities,” as well as eat whenever and wherever they want within the residence.

Basic care facilities provide help with activities of daily living, like eating and bathing, and instrumental activities of daily living like managing money and housekeeping. These homes must also arrange for health care as needed by any resident.

There are about 16 memory care homes in North Dakota. These residences range in size from apartment-complex-style communities serving more than 100 people to smaller home-like settings serving 12 or fewer people at a time.

 Help is Here: Dementia patients in North Dakota and their families can use a free online test by clicking here to see if they qualify for North Dakota Medicaid, which covers long-term care services in memory care, assisted living, or at home, as well as the full cost of nursing home care. North Dakota seniors can also receive free assistance finding memory care residences that match their needs by clicking here.

 

How Much Does Memory Care Cost in North Dakota?

The cost of assisted living and memory care can vary depending on where in North Dakota the residence is located. The table below lists the median monthly cost of both assisted living and memory care facilities in different areas of the state as of 2025. Individuals who are in the early to mid stages of dementia may be best suited for assisted living facilities, which are less expensive than memory care, while those with more severe symptoms or who are in the late stages of dementia will likely need memory care.

For context, the median cost of assisted living across the country in 2025 was $6,200/month, while it was $4,729/month in North Dakota in 2025.

North Dakota Assisted Living and Memory Care Median Costs per Month in 2025
Region / City Assisted Living Monthly Costs Memory Care Monthly Cost
Bismarck $6,334 $7,601
Fargo $5,420 $6,504
Grand Forks $5,420 $6,504
Minot $5,672 $6,807
Non-metropolitan areas $4,225 $5,070

 

North Dakota Assisted Living Laws & Regulations

Admissions Process & Requirements

Every patient who moves into a North Dakota basic care facility must be assessed by a healthcare professional who works for the residence within 14 days of moving in. The assessment is used to create an individualized care plan. It must be updated every four months. The assessment covers:

The cost of the assessment for a new resident might be free when a person agrees to sign a move-in contract, or it may be covered by a one-time community fee. This is a fee that pays for one-time up-front costs like the assessment and also deep cleaning of a new resident’s room. Community fees typically run between $1,500 and $2,500.

Regulations do not require that a person be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia to move into Noth Dakota memory care. Dementias are difficult to diagnose as symptoms change and vary, and the process includes expensive tests like PET brain scans. The degree of memory loss and what specific actions staff can take to help your loved one will be determined during the assessment.

While it is possible to find memory care on short notice in North Dakota, this is not a good idea. You should start looking at residences before a move is necessary, to allow for time for a thorough investigation, including asking questions of staff and other residents. Also, the sooner you begin your search the more input your loved one can have on the final decision.

 

Facility / Residence

Unlike most other states, there is no rule in North Dakota about how large a living unit or bedroom must be. The standard minimum size for a single person is about 100 square feet, so you should look for something at least that size (excluding bathrooms and closets). Basic care facilities are required to have a toilet for every four residents, and a bath or shower for every 15 residents. Residents also have the freedom to decorate their rooms as they see fit, within the parameters of residence policies.

Regulations also require a secure outdoor area, because studies show time in the open air is beneficial for people with dementia. There are no other rules regarding dementia-friendly designs, so things like easily navigated layouts and hallways that run circular (to prevent someone with dementia from encountering a dead end) are not required like in other states. For this reason, be sure to thoroughly inspect any memory care home you are considering, with an eye on whether your loved one will be comfortable within the spaces. Soft paint colors and clear sight lines are also ideal.

 

Staff & Training

An administrator must be in charge of general administration in a North Dakota memory care residence. Administrators must complete at least 12 hours of continuing education annually. There are no staff-to-resident ratios in North Dakota, but someone must always be on-duty and awake. All employees must have annual continuing education that covers:

Additionally:

 

Evictions & Discharges

North Dakota regulations say that every basic care facility may establish its own rules about how and why residents are evicted. A home cannot keep a resident whose medical needs cannot be handled there. For example, if staff isn’t trained to help someone who is non-ambulatory, then a person who loses their ability to walk cannot live there. More specific rules depend on the home. Can your loved one be evicted for nonpayment of bills on time? Does aggressive or insulting behavior get someone evicted?

It’s important to ask these questions before agreeing to a move-in contract because unfair evictions can a major problem in assisted living nationwide. Ask for the reasons your loved one can be evicted. Does advanced notice have to be given by the home (30 days is standard)? What is the process for appeal? Get the answers in writing. If you receive an eviction notice and need to know what the next steps are, click here.

 

Financial Assistance for Residential Alzheimer’s Memory Care

North Dakota Medicaid State Plan – Personal Care Services (MSP-PC)

North Dakota Medicaid State Plan – Personal Care Services (MSP-PC) program will pay for long-term services and supports for qualified individuals, including those with dementia, who reside in assisted living or memory care (or their own home or the home of a loved one). Benefits are based on the need of the individual and they are focused around personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing/grooming, eating, toileting), as well as the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (such as housework, laundry, meal prep and taking medications). The MSP-PC program will not pay for room and board expenses.

To qualify for MSP-PC, applicants must meet two financial requirements – an asset limit ($3,000 for an individual as of 2026) and an income limit ($1,197/month for an individual as of 2026) – as well as a medical requirement of needing help with at least one of the Activities of Daily Living or the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living listed above. If applicants need help with more of those Activities, they will receive more benefits.

 

Home and Community Based Services Waiver

North Dakota Medicaid’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver will pay for long-term care services and supports for qualified individuals, including dementia patients, who reside in assisted living or memory care (or their own home, the home of a loved one, adult foster care or a residential care facility). Benefits are based on the needs of the individual and they can include adult day care, in-home nursing, Personal Emergency Response Systems, meal delivery, homemaker services, case management, supervision and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing/grooming, eating, toileting). The HCBS Waiver will not pay for room and board.

To qualify for the HCBS Waiver, applicants must meet two financial requirements – an asset limit ($3,000 for an individual as of 2026) and an income limit ($1,197/month for an individual as of 2026) – as well as the medical requirement of needing a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC). It should be noted that a dementia diagnosis does not guarantee a NFLOC designation.

 Eligible? To find out if you or your loved one with dementia is eligible for North Dakota Medicaid, click here to use a free online test. If you or your loved one have a complicated financial situation, don’t meet the eligibility criteria, or just want to talk to a professional, click here to contact a Certified Medicaid Planner.

 

Veterans Affairs (VA)

Qualified STATE veterans (or their surviving spouses) with dementia can also receive financial assistance through a Veterans Affairs (VA) Pension that they could use to pay for assisted living or memory care.

There are three levels of VA Pensions – Basic, Aid & Attendance (A&A) and Housebound. To qualify for any of them, veterans or their surviving spouses need to meet a net worth limit of $163,699 (effective Dec. 1, 2025 – Nov. 30, 2026), which is calculated by adding the total of their assets to their annual income. Some assets are exempt, like a primary home, primary vehicle and household furniture and appliances. VA Pension applicants also have to meet an income limit to be eligible – their income must be less than the VA Pension they are applying for in order for them to qualify. And veterans must meet a military service requirement, which includes not having received a dishonorable discharge.

To qualify for A&A, veterans or their surviving spouses must also meet a medical requirement, which is one of the following must be true:

To qualify for Housebound, veterans must spend most of their time in their home due to a permanent disability.

There is no medical requirement for VA Basic Pensions.

Qualified veterans or their surviving spouses are entitled to their Maximum Annual Pension Rate (MAPR) minus their annual income. The following MAPRs are effective from Dec. 1, 2025 to Nov. 30, 2026:

VA Basic Pension MAPRs

VA Aid & Attendance MAPRs

VA Housebound MAPRs

 More information on VA Pensions’ eligibility criteria, payment rates, and the application process are available here.

Veterans Homes

There is one state veterans’ home in North Dakota. It is located in Lisbon, which is to the southeast and approximately 75 miles from Fargo. In addition to nursing home care and assisted living, memory care is available in a secure unit with specially trained staff. Neighboring states also have veterans’ homes. Your loved one might consider looking there for more options as there are no requirements that one must live in the state. For example, Minnesota has five veterans’ homes statewide. Additionally, Montana has three facilities and South Dakota has one. More info.

 

Supplemental Security Income

Dementia patients age 65 and over with limited income and assets may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These funds can be used to pay for the cost of assisted living or memory care. As of 2026, the maximum SSI benefit for an individual is $994/month and for a married couple it’s $1,491/month.

To qualify for SSI, applicants must be age 65 and over or have a significant disability, and they must meet an income limit and an asset limit. As of 2026, individuals may meet the SSI income limit if they earn less than $2,073/month OR they get less than $1,014/month from non-work sources, like Social Security benefits or pension payments. They may meet the SSI asset limit if they have $2,000 or less in countable assets. For couples, the income limit is $3,067/month in work income or $1,511/month in non-work income, and the asset limit is $3,000.

 

Other Options

1) Eldercare loans exist for families to cover the costs of moving into memory care while waiting for other financial resources to become available. For example, if one is waiting for a VA pension to be approved or waiting to sell a home. More on bridge loans for memory care.

2) Some tax credits and deductions can provide financial relief for seniors with dementia and their families. Seniors with limited financial resources can claim the Credit for the Elderly and/or the Disabled, as long as no one can claim them as a dependent. If someone (like an adult child) can claim the senior as a dependent, they can utilize the Child and Dependent Care Credit, and they can deduct any medical or dental expenses they paid for the senior.

3) A reverse mortgage loan can be a viable option for some senior homeowners who are in need of extra income to help pay for dementia care. However, reverse mortgages are not recommended for every senior homeowner who needs extra income, so it’s important to consult with a professional before taking out one of these loans.