AARP Washington

By George Dicks, Geriatric Mental Health Practitioner with Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Service

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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2009 at the age of 57, Bill Meyer of Spokane went on the offensive using his love of the outdoors to help others. In 2016, he founded PasstoPass, a non-profit helping people with Parkinson’s to continue backpacking and hiking as a form of symptom mitigation. Starting with just one hike in 2016, the effort has grown to six regional chapters and a total of 7,549 cumulative miles hiked.

For the first time since AARP began publishing the Scorecard in 2011, more than half of Medicaid long-term care dollars nationwide for older adults and people with physical disabilities went to home- and community-based services instead of nursing homes and other institutions.

Underutilized government assistance benefits help households save money

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.

As we enter November, it is open enrollment for most insurance companies, the dedicated time each year when you can purchase and apply for health insurance for the following year.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, which seeks to shine a bright light on the more than 48 million American heroes, including 820,000 here in Washington state, helping care for their loved ones independently at home – where they want to be.

The value of volunteering cannot be overstated. Volunteering is a selfless act that benefits those individuals whose lives are touched either directly or often unknowingly, as in the case of our advocacy volunteers who are helping to create better policies and systems at all levels. At AARP WA, we are fortunate to have a growing cadre of committed volunteers who play various and sometimes multiple roles to improve the lives of the 50+ population here in Washington. As we come to the close of 2023, we wanted to reflect on the contributions of AARP WA’s volunteers and highlights of the year.