What Does My Parent Qualify For?
- Where you are
- What you need
- 3Your guidance
You've made it — here's the guidance for your situation.
Eligibility for care programs depends on two things: medical need and financial situation. Understanding both helps you know which doors are open.
Medical eligibility
Most care programs assess 'activities of daily living' (ADLs) — bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, toileting, and continence. The more help your parent needs with these, the more likely they qualify for higher levels of care and publicly funded programs.
Washington Medicaid (Apple Health)
Washington's Medicaid program covers long-term care — including adult family homes, assisted living, and nursing facilities — for those who qualify. Countable assets must generally be $2,000 or less for a single person (WAC 182-513-1350); some assets, such as the home within limits, are exempt. Most income goes toward the cost of care. Gifts or transfers for less than fair value in the five years (60 months) before applying can cause a penalty period (WAC 182-513-1363). Medicaid planning with an elder law attorney can help families understand options before spending down assets.
Veterans benefits
The VA's Aid & Attendance benefit is an add-on to the VA pension for veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. Because it is part of the pension, wartime service and income and net-worth limits apply ($163,699 net worth limit through Nov. 30, 2026). It is worth exploring if your parent served.
Washington programs
Community First Choice (CFC) and the COPES waiver (Community Options Program Entry System): Apple Health programs that pay for in-home and residential care for adults who need nursing-home-level care and qualify financially. COPES is a federal Medicaid waiver run by DSHS. Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): Comprehensive care for adults 55 and older in a PACE service area who need nursing-home-level care and want to remain in the community. SHIBA: Washington's free Medicare and benefits counseling program.
Next step: your local Area Agency on Aging or SHIBA can help you understand eligibility, and Real Property Planning's Find a Professional page lists independent professionals you can contact directly.
Find a ProfessionalYour next questions
Will Medicaid pay, and what happens to the house?
Apple Health long-term care in Washington: eligibility, the home exemption, spend-down and the five-year look-back.
What does WA Cares cover?
Washington's long-term care benefit: who qualifies, what it pays and when.
Should we sell the house to pay for care?
How a parent's home is sold to fund senior living in Washington, step by step, and what it means for taxes and Medicaid.