VA Benefits for Memory Care in North Dakota

Specialized Dementia Care Standards

Basic care facilities that provide specialized dementia care must maintain services and protections tailored to residents living with memory loss, cognitive decline, and wandering risks.

• Facilities must provide assistance with activities of daily living based on the resident’s needs.
• Programs must include therapeutic, social, and recreational activities appropriate for residents with dementia.
• Protective oversight is required to reduce risks related to wandering or elopement.
• Residents must have access to the community and to outdoor space.
• Sleeping areas must still allow for resident privacy.
• Facilities must complete a functional assessment for each resident and develop a person-centered care plan.
• Care plans must be reviewed at least every three months and updated whenever the resident’s condition changes.

Training, Competency, and Staff Education

North Dakota requires dementia care facilities to ensure employees are trained and able to meet the needs of residents with cognitive impairment.

• Facilities must provide staff education and training specific to the needs of dementia care residents.
• Employees must complete training and pass competency evaluations within three months of hire.
• Ongoing in-service training is also required for all employees each year.

Annual in-service education for facility staff must address key operational and resident care topics.

• Safety procedures
• Fire prevention and accident prevention
• Mental and physical health needs of residents
• Infection control and infection prevention
• Resident rights

General Basic Care Facility Rules That Still Apply

Memory care units in North Dakota do not operate outside the state’s basic care framework. Dementia care facilities must still comply with the broader requirements that apply to all non-dementia licensed basic care settings.

• Facilities must serve three meals each day that meet recommended dietary allowances.
• Only certified staff members may administer medications.
• Resident medications must be reviewed annually by a pharmacist or another qualified health professional.
• Residents must be assessed within 14 days of moving into the facility.
• After the initial assessment, residents must be reassessed on a quarterly basis.

Licensing, Renewals, and Deficiency Records

North Dakota requires licensed memory care facilities to renew their operating authority each year. Once the initial license is issued, renewal must be completed by December 31.

• Facilities are subject to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections.
• These inspections are used to confirm continued compliance with state regulations.
• The Department of Health and Human Services maintains a facility information search tool for licensing and deficiency history.

Families can use the state search system to review whether a facility is open and to see a list of cited deficiencies.

• Users can search by facility name, city, county, or program type.
• The correct program category for these providers is basic care facility.
• Search results identify the facility’s status and list deficiencies by type and citation date.