13 Assisted Living Communities in Edmonds, Washington

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $5,750 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 13 Assisted Living Communities in Edmonds and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Edmonds, WA

• Assisted Living: $5,750
• Nursing Home Care: $9,243
• In-home Care: $6,092
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,317

According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study, the average monthly price for assisted living in Edmonds is higher than the state ($5,135) and national ($4,000) average. Prices are almost the same in nearby Bremerton ($5,720) and notably lower in cities to the north such as Mount Vernon ($5,125) and Bellingham ($4,250). Prices are also lower in Olympia ($4,250), Wenatchee ($4,125) and Longview ($5,000). 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Edmonds, so data for the closest city, Seattle, was used. 

The wide price range for senior care reflects the major differences in the type of care provided with each service. In Edmonds, nursing home care is the most expensive option because it includes around-the-clock medical care in a specialized nursing facility.  Assisted living, which includes room and board, costs less than either a homemaker or home health aide. It’s also important to note that senior care prices in Edmonds are impacted by the high cost of living here which affects caregiver wages, property values and transportation costs. 

 

Approximately 22% of Washington residents have health coverage through Medicaid, the federally mandated program that provides low-income seniors, children and adults with disabilities with primary, emergency, acute and long-term health services. 

Washington’s Medicaid program is known as Apple Health, and eligibility is based on age, income and personal assets. To qualify for long-term Apple Health coverage, seniors 65 and older can earn up to $2,313 per month ($4,626 per married couple) and own up to $2,000 in countable assets ($3,000) per couple. 

All types of income are included in Medicaid limits. Some assets are exempt, such as an owner-occupied home worth up to $585,000, a personal vehicle, clothing and household furnishings and an irrevocable burial trust. 

Special rules apply when only one spouse in a married couple is seeking Medicaid coverage. In this situation, the non-applicant spouse, known as the community spouse, can collect up to $3,160.50 per month in income which may be either partially or fully transferred from the applicant spouse without penalty. 

The community spouse can also keep up to $126,420 worth of the couple’s joint assets under the community spouse resource allowance clause. 

Apple Health Medically Needy and Spend-down

Seniors with excess incomes and high ongoing medical costs may be eligible for Apple Health coverage through the Medically Needy and Spend-down programs. 

Under the MN without spend-down path, qualified applicants may be provided with up to 12 months of Apple Health coverage without incurring any out-of-pocket medical costs. 

MN with spend-down lets applicants enroll in Apple Health for either a 3- or 6-month term. Once the applicant has reached the predetermined spend-down amount for each period (similar to paying a deductible on a private insurance policy), MN Apple Health coverage is provided for the remainder of the term. 

Long-Term Care Services Hardship Waivers

Apple Health may provide a hardship waiver in special cases where a senior has been denied long-term care services through Medicaid due to excess home equity or a transfer-of-asset penalty. 

An undue hardship waiver may be considered if a senior is unable to obtain food, clothing or shelter or is experiencing life-threatening circumstances due to a lack of medical care and support services. 

Community Options Program Entry System

The Community Options Program Entry System is a Medicaid home and community-based waiver designed to delay or prevent nursing home placement by providing additional services to seniors within an assisted living setting. 

To qualify, seniors must need help with at least two activities of daily living such as bathing, eating, getting dressed, using the toilet or navigating their environment. COPES services are assigned based on medical need and may include: 

• Adult day health programming
• Minor home modifications to improve safety and accessibility
• Skilled and intermittent nursing
• Medical supplies and mobility aids
• Medical transportation
• Ongoing case management 
• Access to a personal emergency response system

Note that as a Medicaid waiver program, statewide enrollment limits are in effect, and qualified applicants may be placed on a waiting list. 

Community First Choice Option

Community First Choice Option is a Medicaid entitlement program available to seniors 65 and older who need the level of care normally provided in a nursing facility. CFCO funds community-based personal support services that let seniors safely age in place in an assisted living setting. 

CFCO participants can choose their care provider and receive help with activities of daily living and medication management and transition from a nursing facility into a community-based residence. 

Note that CFCO benefits can be combined with Medicaid waiver programs such as COPES. 

To learn more about Apple Health enrollment, waivers and the CFCO, contact the Apple Health Customer Service Center at (800) 562-3022 or the Snohomish County Long Term Care and Aging Program at (425) 388-7218. 

Washington State Supplemental Payment Program

Supplemental Security Income recipients who are 65 or older automatically qualify for a $40 SSI supplement through the Washington State Supplemental Payment Program. This cash benefit is added to the monthly SSI payment. 

For more information, contact the Department of Social and Health Services at (877) 501-2233 or the Social Security Administration at (800) 325-0778. 

VA Aid and Attendance Benefits and Housebound Allowance

Aid and Attendance and Housebound are two VA pension top-up programs available to eligible veterans and survivors who qualify for a regular VA pension.

Under Aid and Attendance, the maximum annual VA pension rate is: 

• $26,766 for a veteran with one dependent 

• $22,577 for a veteran without dependents

• $17,309 for a survivor with one dependent

• $14,509 for a survivor without dependents

For Aid and Attendance, applicants must have a severe visual impairment, be bedridden, live in a nursing home or need help from another person to perform activities of daily living. 

Under Housebound, the maximum annual VA pension rate is:

• $20,731 for a veteran with one dependent

• $16,540 for a veteran without dependents

• $13,893 for a survivor with one dependent

• $11,095 for a survivor without dependents

For Housebound, applicants must have a permanent disability that restricts them to their home most of the time. 

Contact the Snohomish County Veterans’ Assistance Program at (425) 388-7255 for more information and help with the application process.

The Edmonds Senior Center offers an eclectic variety of games, fitness classes and special interest groups where seniors can make friends, learn new skills and connect with the community. Activities include weekly ukulele lessons, tech help, duplicate bridge and ice cream socials. 

The Center also serves a low-cost hot lunch daily, hosts a community breakfast on the first Friday of each month and operates a thrift store that stocks clothing, household items and books. 

Edmonds Senior Center
220 Railroad Avenue, Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 774-5555

VA health services are available at the nearby North Seattle CBOC, an outpatient clinic affiliated with the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. 

North Seattle CBOC
12360 Lake City Way Northeast, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98125
(206) 384-4382

The Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program provides free help to vets and survivors. Services include case management, VA medical center referrals and assistance with VA benefit applications and appeals. 

Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program
3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Drewel Building, Everett, WA 98201
(425) 388-7255

Seniors who need access to low-cost legal services can contact the Northwest Justice Project, CLEAR program, for legal advice and referrals.  Northwest Justice Project – CLEAR Program
410 Second Avenue South, Suite 407, Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 464-1519 Catholic Community Services of Western Washington operates a volunteer transportation service to help low-income seniors travel to medical appointments and do errands in the community.  Catholic Community Services – Volunteer Transportation
100 23rd Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98144
(844) 851-9380

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.