If your family is weighing memory care in Kirkland, this page pulls together what actually matters locally — who the licensed providers are, what they cost in 2026, and how to move when time is tight. We currently track 7 DSHS-licensed assisted living facilities serving Kirkland from Washington DSHS records.
What's below: the licensed providers, 2026 Kirkland cost ranges, the local hospital and neighborhood context, what to ask on a tour, and how to act fast if a hospital discharge is looming. Prefer to talk it through? Get matched with a free local advisor — no fees, ever.
What memory care means — and who it's for
Memory care is for someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia who wanders, gets disoriented, or needs a secured, structured environment with dementia-trained staff. Families usually move here when safety at home or in standard assisted living slips.
How Washington regulates it: Washington does not issue a separate "memory care" license. Secured dementia care is a Specialized Dementia Care specialty delivered inside DSHS-licensed assisted living facilities (RCW 18.20, WAC 388-78A) or adult family homes that meet additional staffing, security, and dementia-training rules. Confirm the secured-unit staffing ratio and staff dementia-training hours.
In Kirkland specifically, that means weighing the licensed options against Kirkland's cost range and your family's timeline. The right choice balances care level, budget, location near EvergreenHealth Kirkland, and how quickly you need a spot.
Kirkland memory care: by the numbers
7 DSHS-licensed assisted living facilities on file in Kirkland; about 527 total licensed beds; averaging 75 beds per community; the largest at 103 beds; 1 offering Specialized Dementia Care; 1 accepting Apple Health (Medicaid). Memory care in Washington is a Specialized Dementia Care specialty delivered inside DSHS-licensed assisted living facilities (and adult family homes) that meet additional staffing, training, and secured-unit rules — it is not a separate license. These numbers reflect actual DSHS-licensed providers on file, not modeled averages.
Licensed memory care providers in Kirkland
Providers flagged for Specialized Dementia Care (secured/dementia-trained units). Data: Washington DSHS / ALTSA (2026). Verify any license, beds, and inspection history yourself at fortress.wa.gov/dshs/adsaapps/lookup before you commit.
Memory care (Specialized Dementia Care): 1 · Accepts Apple Health (Medicaid): 1
| Provider | City | Licensed beds | DSHS license # |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson House Memory Care Community | Kirkland | 80 beds | 2548 |
Senior care in Kirkland, King County
Kirkland is an affluent waterfront Eastside city of about 95,000 on Lake Washington, with a walkable downtown, an established older population near Juanita and Houghton, and the large EvergreenHealth medical campus at Totem Lake. EvergreenHealth's Kirkland hospital anchors a premium Eastside care market — waterfront assisted living, secured memory care, and a deep bench of adult family homes in quiet lakeside neighborhoods.
Nearby hospitals: EvergreenHealth Kirkland, Overlake Medical Center (Bellevue, nearby), UW Medical Center–Northwest (Seattle, nearby). For Kirkland families, quick hospital access shapes the shortlist — it eases discharges, emergencies, and the steady rhythm of specialist appointments.
Areas families ask about: Downtown Kirkland, Juanita, Totem Lake, Houghton, Rose Hill, Bridle Trails.
What memory care costs in Kirkland (2026)
Kirkland pricing runs $7,800–$10,250/month, above the metro average for the Greater Seattle metro — a reflection of local real-estate and the mix of small adult family homes versus larger communities.
- Assisted living (standard): $6,200–$8,750/month
- Memory care: $7,800–$10,250/month
- Adult family home: $5,200–$8,050/month
- In-home care: $41–$57/hour
To trim cost in Kirkland, families commonly choose a companion (shared) suite, favor a small adult family home over a big campus, pay only for the care level actually needed, and tap VA Aid & Attendance or the Washington Apple Health / COPES waiver where eligible.
How we vet Kirkland providers
- Washington DSHS license active and clean, checked on the state ALTSA provider lookup
- Two most recent inspections read for repeat citations
- Family feedback gathered firsthand where possible
- Up-front written pricing with every recurring fee disclosed
- A recent advisor visit, not a brochure
Questions to ask on a tour
- What's your overnight staffing level for this wing?
- Which care needs are beyond what you support here?
- Can you itemize base rate versus add-on charges?
- How do you handle a decline in mobility or memory?
- What has staff turnover been over the past year?
What's included — and what costs extra
Usually included: a secured residence, all meals, 24/7 dementia-trained staff, structured daily activities, housekeeping, laundry, and behavioral support. Typically extra: higher acuity care, two-person transfers, hospice coordination, and private-duty aide time. Ask any Kirkland provider for an itemized rate sheet so you can compare apples to apples.
How fast you can move in Kirkland
Most Kirkland moves come together in 7–14 days once the health assessment, finances, and a physician's order are in hand; a hospital discharge can compress that to 24–72 hours when a bed is open. A free local advisor can tell you which Kirkland providers have current openings.
Worth knowing in Kirkland: the strongest memory care options aren't always the ones with the biggest marketing budgets. We weigh license standing, staffing, and family feedback over advertising, which is how families here avoid a polished tour that hides a thin overnight staff.