Living In A Nursing Home
RCW 70.129.110 — thirty days' notice before a transfer or discharge
In Washington, a chapter sets out the rights of residents of long-term care facilities. The facility must permit each resident to remain, and may transfer or discharge one only for the reasons the section lists, such as needs the facility cannot meet, endangered safety or health, nonpayment, or the facility closing.
Thirty days' notice. Before a transfer or discharge, the facility first attempts reasonable accommodations to avoid it, and notifies the resident in writing, in a language and manner they understand, at least thirty days before, except where safety or health would be endangered, urgent medical needs require it, or the resident has not lived there thirty days.
Visitors. The facility must not interfere with access to a resident by state representatives, the resident's physician, the long-term care ombuds, and, subject to reasonable restrictions and the resident's right to deny or withdraw consent, family and others visiting with the resident's consent.
Mail and telephone. A resident has the right to send and promptly receive unopened mail, and reasonable access to a telephone where calls can be made without being overheard.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionA resident can be moved out whenever the facility decides | What the law actually doesOnly for listed reasons, after trying reasonable accommodations |
| The assumptionFamily visits are at the facility's discretion | What the law actually doesThe facility must not interfere, subject to the resident's consent |
Facilities taking Medicare or Medicaid funding are subject to a further set of federal resident rights alongside these, which are not on this page. Whether conduct breaches the section is a question for a licensed Washington attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- RCW 70.129.110 — Disclosure, transfer, and discharge requirements
- RCW 70.129.090 — Advocacy, access, and visitation rights
- RCW 70.129.080 — Mail and telephone — Privacy in communications
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.