Supporting Family Caregivers in Washington

Every day over 800,000 Washingtonians perform a great labor of love: caring for older parents, spouses, and other loved ones so they can remain at home—where they want to be.

Caring for a family member or close friend is one of the most important roles we are likely to play in our lifetime. Caregiving may start with driving your loved one to get groceries or going to doctor’s appointments. As time goes by, you may help in preparing meals or handling bills, and you may find yourself taking time off from work to help. You may not think of yourself as a caregiver, but if you are helping someone with daily activities like getting dressed, managing medication and providing transportation to and from appointments, then you ARE a caregiver and AARP can help.

No matter where you are in your caregiving journey — starting to plan; taking care of a friend or family member be it in a home, a facility, or from a distance; or managing end-of-life caregiving responsibilities — having the right resources, information and connections can make all the difference.

AARP Washington is here to support caregivers – and the older loved ones who count on them.  We are advocating for more support, services that are community-based or home-based, caregiver training and more. Please check out the many resources AARP has to offer on this page and thank you for joining us in honoring and supporting Washington's caregivers.

Working Washingtonians, and especially those caring for loved ones who are sick or aging, should be on the lookout for a crucial vote this November. If passed, Initiative 2124 will hurt millions of women and their families by eliminating Washington's long-term care insurance program. Find out more here.

SPECIAL EVENT
"Caring for the Caregiver" with Journalist Richard Lui and Dr. Kate Zhong

AARP Washington, BECU, and KING 5 hosted a free event to celebrate and support those who provide care for others at Town Hall Seattle. MSNBC news anchor, filmmaker and author Richard Lui cared for his father with Alzheimers over the last decade and he's become a passionate advocate for family caregivers. Dr. Kate Zhong, geriatric psychiatrist and founder of the Brainnovation Initiative at UNLV gave practical advice and info on the latest in brain research. KING 5 Evening host Jim Dever moderated the discussion. If you missed the program, you can watch a recording of the full event by clicking on the image above. Enjoy!

AARP Washington's "Caring for Caregivers" video podcast series features discussions with local experts, community leaders, and caregivers just like you on a range of topics to help you along your caregiving journey.

In our new episode, Jennifer Lichorobiec of Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington joins our state director Marguerite Ro to talk about caregiving in rural communities.

Rural settings are often seen as good places to grow old because of the abundance of friendly social support. For people on limited budgets, lower costs in rural areas can also be attractive. However, aging in rural settings can come with some unique challenges for caregivers and the people they care for.

Click here to view the discussion. And be sure to check back often to see new episodes of "Caring for Caregivers" each month.

The AARP Family Caregiving Website provides an easy way to join an online community of other family caregivers, learn about local services, get helpful information, and connect with others who understand caregiving challenges.