Washington has earned its nickname as “The Evergreen State” for its wide swaths of coniferous forest. Many people may be most familiar with Seattle and its iconic Space Needle, but the eastern half of the state has a personality all its own, with a serene desert beauty akin to parts of Idaho or Montana. In contrast, Washington’s Pacific Coast is home to an actual rainforest. The state’s varied landscape as well as its relatively mild climate make it an ideal retirement destination.
When it comes to retirement communities, Washington state has many great options. Currently, A Place for Mom partners with more than 300 independent living communities in Washington. The median monthly cost of independent living in Washington is about $2,600. A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors can help you find the best retirement communities in Washington state.
Good facilities and the staff is great. Affordable, nice apartment with a good kitchen well thought out and full activities calendar . Food could be improved and Cogir should deep clean the hall carpets.
For the most part. the staff is great. 4 on the food. Mom isn't very happy with the food. She loves the activities. Her room size is very comfortable. We love the size of the building. Housekeeping has been...
What we like the most about the community is how friendly everyone is and the staff are prompt to answer any concerns we may have. We would absolutely recommend Cogir of Edmonds to other families.
First it is clean and spacious. Second as a vegetarian, I have been able to eat food that I like and plenty of it. Third the atmosphere is quiet and comfortable. And outside, the creative neighborhood is...
We really loved Murano. It was like living in a fancy boutique hotel. The staff and other residents were very sweet to my mom. Overall, we just loved it loved it loved it. My mom found community immediately....
Their strengths: their nursing staff and rest of the staff are very sweet, patient and understanding. The community is lovely and my grandmother especially enjoys having access to the courtyard from her...
What we like the most about the community is how friendly everyone is and the staff are prompt to answer any concerns we may have. We would absolutely recommend Cogir of Edmonds to other families.
My mother recently moved into Edmonds Landing about a month ago. The whole process of touring, discussing options, moving and getting settled in has gone as smooth as it could - and that is in large part due...
Bright and clean public spaces. Apartment is modern, clean and kept that way by staff. Happy, friendly staff (and residents. ) Staff is courteous and professional . I wish I'd found Sunrise sooner!
The MGWP staff is very friendly, and when we needed to move Mom from assisted living to memory care, they were very helpful, supportive, and kind through the process. Our family would definitely recommend...
The sales staff was not pushy, upfront about pricing and informative. The dining and menu is amazing, lots of choices. The waitstaff is very friendly and helpful.
5, so far I would say our experience has been really good. My father's health has improved immensely since moving in. He gets out and does things he might not normally do. He enjoys the activities that...
The staff is very genuine and kind. Friendlier than any other place I have seen. It has an intimate feeling, yet elegant and sophisticated at the same time, with the modern décor and open feeling.
The staff, ranging from nurses, house keeping, laundry, front desk, dining room, personal care, administration is amazing. When an event has surfaced for my mom that required assistance the staff has been...
I have been thankful for the care and consideration shown my Dad. The Memory Care works hard to show respect for all the residents and they have many activities - entertainment, etc for the people living...
Washington doesn’t regulate independent living communities unless they share a building or campus with an assisted living or memory care facility. This means stand-alone independent living communities only need to abide by general housing and rental regulations. However, some communities do have their own residency requirements, like residents needing to be 55+, or 62+ in some cases.
Independent living communities sharing a building or campus with an assisted living and/or memory care unit must follow the same policies those facilities do. The Department of Social and Health Services, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration licenses, regulates, and inspects these facilities to ensure compliance.
Landlords and tenants are responsible for following general housing and apartment guidelines in stand-alone independent living communities since Washington doesn’t regulate them. A landlord’s duties include:[01]
Likewise, tenants have their own obligations, such as:[02]
Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protect tenants from renting discrimination. The Washington Law Against Discrimination similarly shields tenants from prejudice based on:[02]
Washington landlords must also allow tenants to make reasonable accommodations and modifications to the property. Reasonable accommodations are changes in a policy, service, or program that lets someone with a disability fully access and enjoy the dwelling. This can come in the form of things like a reserved parking space near the tenant’s unit or allowing service animals despite having a no-pets policy.
Reasonable modifications are physical changes to the property that allow someone with a disability full enjoyment and access of the home/common areas of a community. Lowering closet rods, installing an entrance ramp, and adding bathroom grab bars are all examples of reasonable modifications. In Washington, tenants usually pay for modifications unless the property receives federal funds.
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Stand-alone independent living communities may not have state-mandated inspections, but some cities and counties do require them. For example, Othello passed legislation that states landlords must obtain a rental housing license that must be annually renewed and must take part in the city’s inspection program. Because of this, it’s worth checking with an area’s housing authority to see if any regulations like that are in place.
The Department of Social and Health Services, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration conducts unannounced assisted living facility inspections every 18 months. The department checks that infection control, emergency preparedness, general design, and life safety requirements are being met, while also interviewing staff and residents. If staff or residents file a complaint against a facility, the department conducts the same kind of investigation.
The department logs violations in a Statement of Deficiencies (SoD) report that the facility receives. The facility’s administrator must acknowledge and sign the SoD. The facility then corrects any discovered problems, while also developing systems or programs to ensure the same issues won’t occur again. The department can make unannounced inspections at any time to confirm the corrections.[03]
The department’s assisted living facility locator provides a facility’s inspection, complaint, and violation history. You can find a facility by searching for its name, zip code, or city to see a list of reports. Alternatively, you can request to see specific public records using an online form. The long-term care ombudsman service is available if you’re curious about a facility’s violation history.
Washington State Department of Health
111 Israel Road SE
Tumwater, WA 98501
Phone: 800-525-0127
Washington State Legislature. (2024). Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.
Washington State Legislature. (2024). Discrimination – Human Rights Commission.
Compendium of Residential Care and Assisted Living Regulations and Policy. (2015). Washington.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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