State Licensing for Senior Communities and Care Services in Washington

Washington State Department of

Social & Health Services
PO Box 45600
Olympia, WA 98504-5600
(360) 407-0099
www.aasa.dshs.wa.gov

Types of Housing/Care Search Definitions
Adult Foster Homes Adult Family Homes Adult Family Homes are residential homes licensed to care for up to six elderly or disabled residents. They provide room, board, laundry, necessary supervision, assistance with activities of daily living, personal care, and social services. Nursing services are sometimes available.
Adult Residential Care Care Homes Adult Residential Care facilities are licensed boarding homes. They provide room and board and help with medications and personal care. Residents may have limited supervision.
Affordable Senior Housing Affordable Senior Housing HUD 202 Program that offers rental assistance for seniors who meet the requirements of the federal program.
Assisted Living Assisted Living Assisted Living offers private apartments; this service emphasizes privacy, independence, and personal choice. Services include meals, personal care, medication assistance, limited supervision, organized activities, and limited nursing services. Assisted Living is staffed 24 hours a day, and help is available around the clock.
Boarding Homes Boarding Homes Boarding Homes offer private apartments and emphasize privacy, independence, and personal choice. Services include meals, personal care, medication assistance, limited supervision, organized activities, and limited nursing services to senior individuals. They provide room and board and help with medications and personal care. Residents may have limited supervision.
Enhanced Adult Residential Care Care Homes Enhanced Adult Residential Care provides all of the same services as Adult Residential Care. In addition, limited nursing care can be provided and no more than two people will share a room.
In Home Services/Home Care Home Care Home Care provides help with activities of daily living (personal hygiene, self- medication, toileting, transfer, bathing, walking, dressing, cooking and eating), and keeping up the house (essential shopping, laundry, housework, help with essential wood supply.)
In Home Services/Home Health Home Care In Home Services/Home Health provide in-home health care (monitoring, treatments, therapies, medications, exercises) authorized by a physician and provided by nurses, therapists, or trained aides to elderly, disabled or sick individuals.
In Home Services/Hospice Hospice Hospice provides medical services, home care, social services, and counseling to terminally-ill patients and their families.
Nursing Homes Nursing Nursing Homes provide 24 hour supervised nursing care, personal care, therapy, supervised nutrition, organized activities, social services, room, board, and laundry to elderly or disabled individuals. Often a person enters a Nursing Home for short-term rehabilitation, or improves and no longer needs Nursing Home care. Nursing Facility Case Management provides ongoing contact with the resident to promote a timely return home with necessary services. When 24 hour nursing care is no longer needed, Home and Community Services staff can help individuals return home or to another care setting.

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