Nursing Homes and Senior Care in North Dakota

Nursing Homes by City in North Dakota

The North Dakota cities with the most CMS-certified nursing homes. All 54 cities are listed below the table. Homes in North Dakota average 4.4 hours of nursing care per resident per day; the national median is 3.7 hours.

5-Star Nursing Homes in North Dakota

Homes with CMS's top overall rating, ordered by inspection rating. See all highest-rated nursing homes in North Dakota.

Assisted Living in North Dakota

North Dakota Health and Human Services, Health Response and Licensure Section and Food and Lodging (assisted living facilities); Health Facilities Unit (basic care facilities) licenses assisted living in North Dakota. License types: Assisted Living Facility and Basic Care Facility.

• North Dakota assisted living rules
• North Dakota assisted living licensing (North Dakota Health and Human Services, Health Response and Licensure Section and Food and Lodging (assisted living facilities); Health Facilities Unit (basic care facilities))

Memory Care Rules in North Dakota

North Dakota's term is "Optional Alzheimer's, Dementia, Special Memory Care, or Traumatic Brain Injury Facility or Unit Services", a separate license or certification.

• A basic care facility or unit that admits or retains only residents with Alzheimer's, dementia, or special memory care needs in a secured or unsecured facility or unit must comply with the additional requirements of this section, apply on an application as specified by the department, and receive written approval from the department before providing the services (N.D. Admin. Code 33-03-24.1-24).
• A basic care facility may not advertise or hold itself out to the public to provide specialized care to residents with Alzheimer's, dementia, or memory loss unless licensed consistent with this section, and must receive approval on a printed new license from the department before providing services.
• Residents admitted and retained must meet the basic care functional level of care and be capable of self-preservation; the facility may admit and retain residents who require twenty-four-hour per day dedicated personal care staff but do not need more than intermittent nursing or medical care.
• Protective oversight and supervision in a structured environment staffed with sufficient personal care and intermittent licensed nursing staff, plus therapeutic, social, and recreational programming.
• Residents in a secured facility or unit must have access to a secured outdoor space.
• A person-centered care plan for each resident, reviewed quarterly and whenever needs change.
• Nursing and personal care staff complete a minimum of eight educational hours within three months from the date of hire, covering dementia education, behavioral symptoms and alternatives to chemical and physical restraints, positive therapeutic interventions, meaningful activities, care and safety including wandering, communication, resident rights, and person-centered care; staff may not work independently until they pass a competency evaluation.
• Each nursing or personal care staff member receives at least four hours of training annually and completes a competency evaluation annually; other staff receive an overview of dementia and communication issues at hire and annually.

• North Dakota memory care rules

Medicaid Long-Term Care in North Dakota

North Dakota's Medicaid program is North Dakota Medicaid. For nursing home Medicaid (2026), the state lists an asset limit of less than $3,000 for a single person or $6,000 for a couple. Residents keep a personal needs allowance of $115 of their income per month for personal needs.

• Home and Community-Based Services Waiver: in-home care, adult day, memory care and respite. Serves individuals who would otherwise require nursing home services. The waiver application (effective Jan. 1, 2026) states: 'There is no wait list for waiver services.'
• Medicaid State Plan - Personal Care Services: in-home care. Helps people with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, preparing meals, housework and laundry so they can continue to live in their homes and communities.
• Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): in-home care and adult day. For ND Medicaid members age 55 and older who live in a PACE service area, would otherwise need a nursing home level of care, and can live safely in the community at enrollment. Northland PACE is the only program offering PACE services in North Dakota.

• North Dakota Medicaid nursing facility coverage
• North Dakota Medicaid long-term care limits

Nursing Home Inspections and Complaints in North Dakota

North Dakota Health and Human Services, Health Facilities Unit inspects nursing homes in North Dakota for CMS. To file a complaint, call (701) 328-2352, 711 (TTY) or use the state's complaint page.

• North Dakota nursing home inspection lookup
• File a nursing home complaint in North Dakota

North Dakota Long-Term Care Ombudsman

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a free, confidential advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living. Ombudsmen help with complaints, residents' rights and problems with care. Call toll-free (855) 462-5465, select option 3, or (701) 328-4617.

• Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

Aging Services and Caregiver Support in North Dakota

North Dakota Health and Human Services, Adult and Aging Services runs North Dakota's aging services, delivered through local Area Agencies on Aging. Family caregivers can get help through North Dakota Family Caregiver Support Program.

• North Dakota aging services: North Dakota Health and Human Services, Adult and Aging Services
• Caregiver support in North Dakota: North Dakota Family Caregiver Support Program
• North Dakota adult day services

Guides for Your Next Step

See how to choose a nursing home, what memory care is, how Medicaid pays for nursing home care and what Medicare covers. For local help, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.

Frequently Asked Questions