Washington State Veterans Homes

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs operates four veterans homes: the Washington Soldiers Home in Orting (128 beds), the Washington Veterans Home at Port Orchard known as Retsil (240), the Spokane Veterans Home (100) and the Walla Walla Veterans Home (80). All four are Medicare and Medicaid certified and provide 24-hour nursing care, so a resident's federal entitlements carry into the placement. Services include physical and occupational therapy, recreation, social services, hospice care, meals, transportation and religious programmes; hospice means a resident does not have to move at the end of life. Who may be admitted. RCW 72.36.030 admits "actual bona fide residents of this state at the time of their application", subject to the Department's rules and to space: (a) veterans of the uniformed services or merchant marines "who meet the discharge requirements under RCW 41.04.007 or are eligible for medical care provided by the United States department of veterans affairs"; (b) members of the state militia disabled in the line of duty; (c) Filipino World War II veterans; (d) their spouses or domestic partners; and (e) "parents any of whose children died while serving in the armed forces". RCW 41.04.007 uses the "qualifying discharge" of RCW 73.04.005, which since chapter 146, Laws of 2024 is an honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge, an other than honorable discharge with VA documentation of monetary benefits, or any characterization where the discharge was solely for sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. WDVA's page states the same reach. There is no minimum period of residence, only residence when applying. Spouses. A spouse or domestic partner must have been married to and living with the veteran for three years before applying, unless also a resident of, or entitled to, a state home. A surviving spouse of a veteran who lived in or was entitled to a home qualifies if not since married to someone outside the homes. Cost depends on the resident's circumstances and on Medicare, Medicaid and VA. WDVA: "Veterans rated 70%-100% Service Connected Disabled, or whose service connected disability is the reason nursing care is needed, may have their nursing home care paid by the Federal VA. We also accept Medicare, Medicaid, 3rd Party Insurance and Private Pay." Every applicant must apply for the federal and state benefits they may be eligible for, including Medicaid (RCW 72.36.030(3)). Washington also runs a Veterans Transitional Housing Program at Port Orchard and Orting, which is a different thing from the homes: it serves veterans experiencing homelessness who are committed to a clean and sober lifestyle and working toward residential stability. A veteran who needs housing rather than nursing care should ask about that programme specifically. Apply through WDVA's admissions team, 1-877-838-7787, or the individual home.