• Senior Linkage Line staff help people consider their housing options. Every person’s situation and preference can vary. For some, it is information on resources and assistance to continue living in their home, while for others it might be discussing how to pay for long-term care services at an assisted living facility.
• The assisted living facility is required to tell potential residents about the option to call the Senior Linkage Line at the facility tour. The housing for older adults kiosk card (MBA1050 2024) is provided to assisted living facilities and should be given out during tours of the facility. Assisted living facilities can contact Senior Linkage Line to order more as needed.
• Prior to August 1, 2024, potential residents were required to call the Senior Linkage Line before signing a lease and be offered counseling on their housing and assistance options. A verification code was given to callers to verify to the assisted living facility that the potential resident had called the Senior Linkage Line and was offered counseling on their options. 
• The requirement for verification codes has ended (08-01-2024). Assisted living facilities no longer require a verification code and the Senior Linkage Line no longer provides verification codes.

• What's prompting your move to assisted living? 
• Can you share why you are interested in assisted living? 
• Have you been able to tour this/other assisted living facilities? 

• Based on what you told me, there are resources that could be brought into your home. Would you like me to discuss these options with you today?
  • Review potential services for aging in place/staying at home.
  • Potential referrals if more than 3 areas to be discussed: 
    • Resource coordination
    • MnCHOICES
    • Medical Assistance
    • Waivers
• Direct them to (and help navigate if needed) the assisted living report card website. There is a fact sheet and ratings guide attached on their get help tab.
  • Report Cards display agency ratings for categories such as:
    • Resident Quality of Life
    • Family Satisfaction
    • Resident Health
    • Safety
    • Staffing
  • The Report Cards also compare these ratings against the average ratings statewide
• Send them the following materials if appropriate:
  • Ideas about what to ask when touring
  • Planning ahead and budget comparison worksheet
  • Housing options
  • Falls prevention
  • Seniors applying for Medical Assistance (MA)
  • Elderly waiver
• Don't forget to contact Social Security and your health plan to update your address if moving. 

• Do you have any questions about the cost of assisted living or how you are going to pay for it? 
  • Are you a veteran? 
    • Would you like information about Aid and Attendance pension?
  • Do you know what is included in monthly rent at this facility? 
    • Apartment
    • Meals
    • Housekeeping
    • Activities
    • Any basic personal care?
  • Do you know what your personal care services cost will be? 
    • Are you prepared to pay for additional services as your needs change? 
  • Do you understand what is available from: 
    • Medicare coverage
    • Medical Assistance
    • MnCHOICES assessment
    • Elderly Waiver (EW) and asset assessment

As of August 1, 2024, people are no longer required to call the Senior LinkAge Line to be offered long-term care options counseling and/or get a verification code before they sign a lease. However, assisted living facilities are required to share information about the Senior LinkAge Line with all prospective residents when they first tour or visit a facility. 

If you receive a call from a person who is considering moving into an assisted living, or a staff person from an assisted living facility, please let them know: 

• Though they are no longer required to get a verification code from the Senior LinkAge Line, we are still available to support older Minnesotans who are considering a move. 
• Assisted living providers can submit referrals directly to the Senior LinkAge Line through Senior LinkAge Line – Make a referral

Important: Senior Linkage Line will no longer generate codes and previous codes will no longer be stored in the Client Tracking System.​​​​​

• Use the Keyword Search set to Service instead of the default All for an “assisted living facility” search. Keep it at All if you want to see Customized Living Service listings in your result list
• Taxonomy Search: BH-8400.600-060 - Assisted Living Facilities
• Key Filter Options
  • Payment – Elderly Waiver (EW), Community Access for Disability Inclusion Waiver (CADI), Housing Support, etc.
  • Service Availability – Assisted living services for individuals over age 65, Assisted living services for individuals underage 65
  • Building Amenities - Continuing Care Campus (the filter is added when they offer independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing at the same retirement campus.)

 Report Cards – Resources for ‘Vetting’ facilities

• A link to the Report Card website has been added to the Quality tab within the agency listing. A link to building/agency specific Report Cards is in development and will eventually be added to MinnesotaHelp.info.
• Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Surveys and Complaints can also be found on the Quality tab within the agency listing.

 Uniform Disclosure of Assisted Living Services and Amenities (UDALSA)

• UDALSA's provide a list of the various services that an agency provides through their Assisted Living license
• Links to UDALSAs are located under the Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications heading within a service listing, and are saved as PDFs in the license's URL field.
• A recent manual project was recently completed by volunteers and DMP to review the specific services listed in the UDALSA's, and some information that was deemed to have the most relevance/impact for our users were manually added from the UDALSA's as filters that can be utilized during an MHI search. This information includes:
  • Private Pay applied towards rent - Assisted Living
  • Housing Support applied towards rent- Assisted Living
  • Federal Rent Subsidy - Assisted Living
  • Private Pay applied towards services - Assisted Living
  • Long Term Care Insurance - Assisted Living
  • Secured Unit or Building for wandering or exit-seeking behavior
  • Secured Outdoor grounds on facility premises
  • Individualized digital alarm monitoring for wandering or exit-seeking behavior
  • Prepared to manage challenging behavior
  • Private Units
  • Semi-Private Units
  • Studio/efficiency
  • 1 bedroom unit
  • 2 bedroom unit
  • Pets Allowed
  • Central Air Conditioning
  • Whirlpool
  • Pool