Which Situation Applies
Age 55 to 64 on CADI or Brain Injury
The widest choice. Assisted living settings enrolled to provide customized living can generally accept these waivers, including many small homes licensed for 6 or fewer residents. Each provider confirms when you ask.
Under 55 on CADI or Brain Injury
Narrower. Settings that began offering customized living on or after January 11, 2021 may serve these waivers only from age 55, so look for a setting that was operating before then. Most of those can house only 4 residents under 55. Adult foster care and other community residential settings are common alternatives.
Private Pay at Any Adult Age
Assisted living is not age-restricted by law for private-pay residents. Each provider decides whom it can serve, so state the age and needs up front.
How to Get In
Confirm the Waiver and Case Manager
CADI or Brain Injury waiver eligibility runs through the county. If the person is not on a waiver yet, request a MnCHOICES assessment from the county or call the Disability Hub at 1-866-333-2466.
Get Customized Living Into the Support Plan
The case manager adds customized living (or 24-hour customized living) to the support plan and sets the rate with the provider.
Ask Two Questions Before a Tour
Is the setting enrolled to provide customized living for CADI or BI? And, for anyone under 55, did it begin offering customized living before January 11, 2021?
Plan for Room and Board
The waiver never pays rent. With low income, Housing Support can pay up to $1,221 a month toward room and board in assisted living.
Reach Every Provider That Takes 55 to 64 CADI Placements
Describe the care needs, age range, and waiver once. Every matching assisted living provider in the county that takes email inquiries gets it, and they confirm whether they can serve the waiver at that age.
Free for case managers, families, and discharge planners.
Small Assisted Living Homes by County
Small homes are a common fit for adults in their 50s and early 60s.
Minnesota Guides
- Social WorkersCounty, hospital, nursing home, mental health, home health, hospice, and VA. Pick where you work.
- Waiver Case ManagersElderly Waiver, CADI, DD, BI, and CAC. Pick the waiver and the kind of home.
- Leaving a FacilityNursing home, ICF, or IRTS. For relocation and Moving Home Minnesota coordinators.
- Assisted Living PlacementOpen beds by county and one inquiry to providers that take email. For the people placing care in Minnesota.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone under 65 live in assisted living in Minnesota?
Yes. Private-pay residents of any adult age can move in where the provider agrees. With Medical Assistance, the CADI and Brain Injury waivers pay for customized living, the care part of assisted living.
What is the CADI waiver?
Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) is a Minnesota Medicaid waiver for people under 65 with a disability who need the level of care a nursing home provides. Among other services, it pays for customized living in assisted living.
Why do some assisted living settings only take CADI at 55 and older?
Minnesota limits customized living settings that began operating on or after January 11, 2021 to serving CADI and Brain Injury waiver participants age 55 and older. Settings operating before that date are not subject to the age limit unless they move to a new location, but those that opened on or after May 1, 2001 can house only 4 residents under 55 unless DHS approves an exception. DHS publishes the list of settings limited to 55 and older.
Can someone under 65 use the Elderly Waiver?
No. The Elderly Waiver starts at 65. Before 65, assisted living services are funded through CADI or the Brain Injury waiver. The case manager handles the transition questions as the person approaches 65.
Are small assisted living homes a good fit for younger adults?
Often. A home with 6 or fewer residents is closer to a household than a senior community, which many adults in their 50s and early 60s prefer. Ask each home about the ages of current residents.
Sources: Minnesota Department of Human Services Community-Based Services Manual, customized living (BI and CADI setting age limitation effective January 11, 2021); DHS Housing Support rates effective July 1, 2026; Minnesota Department of Health assisted living licensing records. Case managers can confirm a setting's age limitation in the DHS monthly customized living settings list.