The Caregiving Journey

by Marguerite Ro, State Director at AARP Washington

When my parents moved into their dream home more than 30 years ago, their intention was to live the remainder of their lives there. Today, in their mid-80s, they are still doing so. Despite the occasional conversation about moving, whether it be back to Taiwan (their native homeland) or simply closer to me or my sister, the reality is that they want to remain in the comfort of their own home and in their community. They have friends and people who know them, and they know where things are — be it the bank, grocery store, or doctors’ offices.

They are not alone. AARP data shows that 77% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.

We (my parents and I) also know that family caregiving will be an important part of the future. For myself, being a caregiver has meant helping them with technology, including helping them access their medical records, finding the right Medicare plans, ordering items online, and finding nearby resources and services. When my mom had a concussion from a fall after the ice storm of 2022, it meant me moving in for a short time, so that she would have full-time care that included making meals, driving her to medical appointments, and making sure she had what she needed to recover as comfortably as possible.

I am not alone in this caregiving journey. In Washington, more than 820,000 unpaid family caregivers care for adult loved ones. Family caregivers provide a wide range of services, from helping with household chores to managing doctors’ appointments and medications to providing personal care such as bathing and feeding. For some, particularly women, it becomes a full-time position. Caregiving can be demanding, particularly when faced with seemingly few care options. In fact, women are 73% more likely to permanently leave jobs, and five times more likely to work only part-time due to caregiving demands.

Washington state is seen as a national leader when it comes to providing choices and options for long-term care, in no small part because of the aptly named Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) programs. The goal is to help people stay in their homes by helping with items such as personal hygiene, dressing, toileting, and moving around. In fact, Washington state is seen as a national leader when it comes to providing choices and options for long-term care. The Long-Term Services and Supports State Scorecard shows Washington ranks No. 2 in the nation for our approach to long-term care.

Washingtonians will soon benefit from a long-term care insurance program which offers a safety net, like Social Security or Medicare, helping seniors and disabled or severely ill adults live with dignity and stability. The guaranteed benefit ($36,500 adjusted for inflation in the future) will help to cover some of the costs of long-term care such as a family member’s caregiving time, a home-care aide that can help an older adult can stay in his or her home, or modifications that make homes safer and more accessible for older adults.

The reality is that 70% of us will need caregiving support, and the vast majority of us do not have a way to pay for long-term care expenses, as these expenses are not covered by traditional health insurance or Medicare. However, voters face an important decision on November’s ballot that threatens to eliminate this important program. If passed, Initiative 2124 would take away support for family caregivers, increase our out-of-pocket costs, and leave us with few alternatives other than expensive long-term care insurance that most of us can’t afford.

Aging in place should be a viable option for many. Together, we can work toward assuring that age-friendly communities have the community services and supports we need as age. And importantly, we should continue to increase support and resources for family caregivers, whose efforts are invaluable to their loved ones.

Like so many, I hope that my parents live out their lives in the home and community they cherish, and age with the dignity and respect that they deserve. My parents gave me so much, and returning the love and care is the least I can do.

Marguerite Ro, DrPH, is the Washington State director of AARP.