Moving a parent into an adult family home in Washington involves more than picking a facility and packing a bag. There's a required clinical step, a stack of paperwork, and a few practical items that make the transition go smoothly.
Here's the complete move-in checklist.
The mandatory step: the RN pre-placement assessment
Before anything else, know this: Washington requires a licensed RN to complete a pre-placement assessment before a resident can move into an adult family home (WAC 388-76-10330). It's not a formality — the assessment determines whether the home can safely meet your parent's needs.
The assessment covers:
- Medical history and current diagnoses
- All medications and how they're administered
- Mobility, transfers, and fall risk
- Cognitive status and supervision needs
- Behavioral considerations
- Dietary and nutrition needs
- Any special equipment or supplies
The RN then provides a written report — typically within 48 hours — that the facility uses to build the care plan. Families in Washington use our adult family home assessment for this step: a flat $450 with a written report within 48 hours.
Paperwork to have ready
- Physician's report — recent history and physical
- Medication list — all current prescriptions, doses, and frequency
- Insurance and Medicaid documentation, if applicable
- Power of attorney or guardianship paperwork, if applicable
- Vaccination records
- Advanced directives, if your parent has them
The 10-point move-in checklist
- Assessment completed and report received — confirmed safe for move-in
- Care plan agreed — you understand what's delegated and how meds are managed
- Medication delegations set up — new medications delegated before day one
- Supplies delivered — meds, durable medical equipment, incontinence supplies
- Physician contact updated — the facility knows who to call
- Emergency contacts on file — family members and backup numbers
- Personal items packed — comfortable clothing, photos, familiar bedding
- Payments arranged — move-in fee, first month, and any supplements
- Meet the caregivers — introduce your parent to the staff who'll support them
- Schedule a check-in — plan to visit in the first week and adjust the plan as needed
Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the assessment — some homes or families try to move first and assess later; DSHS requires the assessment before move-in.
- Waiting too long to schedule — RN availability near your move-in date can be tight. Book the assessment as soon as you've chosen a home.
- Not updating medication delegations — if a prescription changes around move-in, the home needs a new medication delegation before giving that med.
Ready to move forward?
If you've chosen a home, the next step is scheduling the mandatory assessment. Our assessment service is flat-rate, fast, and serves every community in King County and beyond — book it now, or read about what happens during the assessment first.