Christina Clem

On a Saturday morning at the Olympia Senior Center, Linda Terry, the founder of Sharing Teens and Elders Project (STEP) is welcoming long-time and new participants for the day’s events. Committed volunteers are putting out snacks and coffee, while sneaking in praises for Linda’s unwavering dedication to bridge generations and foster a bond between elders and a caring group of local teens.

When Woodinville resident, Cheryl Swartz first joined Full Life Care as a volunteer with ElderFriends, she and her son visited an older man who was estranged from family – the pair brought fresh baked cookies on their visits, made friendly calls, and stopped by just to chat. After that first visit Cheryl was inspired to do more to bring joy and companionship to isolated elders throughout Seattle and King County.

AARP members Judith and Lee Piper have a special place in their heart and home for older dogs who may be sick, struggling at a shelter, or without a place to stay because their human companions are having difficulty. After several years of welcoming older dogs to their 5-acre property in Arlington, they stumbled onto an idea. Let’s recruit loving families that are willing and able to care for elder canines over 8 years old AND we’ll start a non-profit, Old Dog Haven, to raise money to help pay for any medical costs that might be needed.

Come find out where the candidates stand and tell them what you think at the Age Wave Candidate Forum on Washington's Aging Readiness!

There are many amazing charities out there that benefit from donations. Unfortunately, scammers may try to capitalize on the generosity and good will of others by setting up fake charities and pocketing the donations. To ensure the organization you decide to donate to be worthy and doing the work they say, visit www.ftc.gov/charity for ways to verify charities. If you have doubts, there’s always the option to give directly to smaller local charities where you can more easily see the impact of your donation.

As we enter the second half of summer, many companies have mid-season sales with amazing deals. But if a sale looks too good to be true, it probably is. Beware of websites that sell high-end name brand products at a fraction of the retail price. Through these fake websites, scammers can sell knock-off products to unknowing consumers, or worse, take your credit card information and never send the items you purchased. Please be vigilant in scoping out only true online sales, and ensure the bargains you find are the real deal.

Community projects in Seattle, Olympia, and Renton are recognized for their efforts to create more livable communities in AARP's " Where We Live: Communities for All Ages" 3rd edition. Our Washington communities are among more than 100 articles that feature the many ways communities across the nation are becoming great places to live for people of all ages.

Communities across Washington are working each and every day to become more livable for residents of all ages.

AARP has launched “Be The Difference. Vote™,” a comprehensive voter engagement campaign to support Americans age 50-plus as they vote in the 2018 midterm elections.

Are you a homeowner who is concerned about the cost of home maintenance or repairs? Are you worried about paying your property taxes or where you will find the funds to accommodate increasing costs on a fixed income? Are you finding it difficult to keep up with your mortgage payment? You are not alone. About 29% of senior homeowners in Washington are “cost-burdened,” which means they spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing costs. The good news is that help is available.