Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre

Last verified: October 2026 against the Washington DSHS provider lookup.

The short answer: Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre holds an active Washington DSHS assisted living license (#2598) for 110 beds at 104 Burnett Ave S in Renton. Below is what the public record shows, what it means, and how to judge the community for your family.

Is Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre licensed by Washington DSHS?

Yes. Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre holds Washington DSHS assisted living license #2598, in operating status, for 110 beds, renewed through June 2027. You can confirm it yourself on the DSHS provider lookup.

What do Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre's DSHS inspection and enforcement records show?

The DSHS file lists 1 routine inspection report, the most recent dated September 2024. Washington inspects licensed assisted living at least every 18 months, so a recent date is normal; what matters is what each report cites.

No complaint investigation reports are posted on the current DSHS file.

The State Fire Marshal's most recent fire inspection on file is dated August 2026.

Does Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre offer memory care?

Yes — Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre is Memory Care Certified on its DSHS record. Washington certifies assisted living memory care under chapter 388-78A WAC (permanent rules effective August 15, 2026, implementing E2SSB 5337), so the flag means the state has reviewed the memory care side, not just the base license.

In Renton, 6 of 7 licensed assisted living facilities carry a memory care certification or dementia contract. The full list is in our memory care directory.

Does Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre accept Apple Health (Medicaid)?

No. The DSHS record shows Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre cannot accept Apple Health (Medicaid), so it is private pay; long-term-care insurance, VA benefits and the WA Cares Fund can still help.

If Medicaid may be needed later, ask now what happens when private funds run out; a resident can be asked to move. 3 of 7 Renton assisted living facilities do hold a DSHS Medicaid contract. Eligibility itself runs through a DSHS Home and Community Services assessment — see Apple Health long-term care and the COPES waiver.

Where is Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre, and what is nearby in Renton?

Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre is at 104 Burnett Ave S in Renton (King County). Renton is a diverse south-King County city of about 105,000 at the south end of Lake Washington, with an affordable, established housing stock and a large adult-family-home network serving a multicultural senior population.

Other licensed assisted living in the area: Chateau at Valley Center Retirement Community (120 beds), Renton Assisted Living (115 beds), Village Concepts of Fairwood (85 beds), Weatherly Inn - Renton LLC (80 beds), The Lodge at Eagle Ridge (75 beds), The Cottages of Renton (60 beds).

What does assisted living cost near Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre?

Assisted living in the Renton area typically runs $5,500–$7,750/month in 2026, and memory care about $6,950–$9,100/month. We do not publish a price for Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre: rates depend on apartment size and the care level in your parent's assessment, and they change. Ask for an itemized rate sheet.

Ways families close the gap include VA Aid & Attendance, long-term-care insurance, the WA Cares Fund, and Apple Health for those who qualify — Aging and Disability Services (Seattle-King County) can walk you through local options.

How does Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre compare with other assisted living near Renton?

By licensed beds, Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre ranks #22 of 153 assisted living facilities in King County. Across the county, 44% of licensed assisted living facilities have at least one enforcement letter on their DSHS file, so having letters is not unusual on its own — read what they say.

The table puts it next to nearby licensed communities using the same DSHS fields, so you can shortlist on the record before you spend a Saturday touring.

How should you evaluate Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre before choosing it?

Before you tour, open the DSHS report file linked above and read the most recent inspection. Then use the visit to test what you read: if a citation involved medications, ask how the medication process changed; if it involved staffing, ask for current overnight numbers. A community that explains its own record plainly is usually a safer bet than one that brushes it off.

Assisted living fits an older adult who needs daily help — bathing, dressing, medication reminders, meals — but does not require round-the-clock skilled nursing. It's the most common first move when living alone stops being safe. Whether Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre fits depends on your parent's needs, budget, and how the community answers the questions below.

What should you ask on a tour of Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre?

Bring these questions and write down the answers — they make two or three communities easy to compare side by side.

• How fast can staff respond to a call button at night?
• What would trigger a move to a higher care level?
• What's the true all-in monthly cost for our parent's needs?
• How are falls and med changes communicated to family?
• How long have caregivers worked here on average?
• Is the community Memory Care Certified, and which apartments does that cover?
• How many residents need two-person transfers, and how is night staffing set for them?
• What has the rate increase history been over the past three years?

How does Washington regulate assisted living like Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre?

In Washington, assisted living is licensed by DSHS (ALTSA / Residential Care Services) under RCW 18.20 and WAC 388-78A. A facility's license can include endorsements — such as Specialized Dementia Care — that let residents stay as needs increase. Always verify the exact license and endorsements; they determine how long your parent can remain as care needs grow.

Residents' rights, discharge notices and care planning (the negotiated service agreement) are set by WAC 388-78A. Complaints go to DSHS Residential Care Services; the Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocates for residents for free.

How can Seattle Senior Advisor help with Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre?

We're a free, local advisory service — families never pay us. We can compare Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre with other licensed Renton-area options on price, care level and availability, help you read its DSHS reports, and stay reachable through the move. Communities pay us only if you choose one and move in, and we'll tell you about good options that don't pay us.

Washington programs & protections to know

Washington senior care is licensed and inspected by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) — through its Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA) and Residential Care Services (RCS); you can verify any license, inspection, and complaint history free at fortress.wa.gov/dshs/adsaapps/lookup. Service funding and in-home support are coordinated through the local Area Agency on Aging — in the Seattle metro, Aging and Disability Services (ADS) for King County, Homage in Snohomish, and Aging & Disability Resources of Pierce County. Long-term-care help runs through Apple Health (Medicaid) and the COPES waiver, and residents are protected by the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and DSHS Adult Protective Services. These are the same programs our advisors help families navigate at no cost.