Advocacy

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.

Social Security is your money — you earned it through a lifetime of hard work. And, like most Americans, that money is needed to help cover living expenses and pay bills. Nearly one in five Washington residents – 1.4 million people – receive Social Security benefits, and 36% percent of residents 65 and older rely on the program for at least half of their income.

Thank you for your interest in the Housing Plus Services Forum, an informative and engaging discussion focused on the integration of senior housing and supportive services to enhance aging in place for older adults while avoiding higher and more expensive levels of care.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The 2023 legislative session was a year for advancing housing legislation, with four bills making it to the end of the session. In addition, we found solutions to help prevent utility shut-offs during extreme heat events and modernized the state’s anti-robocalling law.

Latest AARP research attaches $16.8 billion value to the estimated 770 million hours of unpaid care that family caregivers provided in 2021.

HB 1337 creates more housing options for an aging population

It is no secret that we face a housing supply and affordability challenge in Washington. It is an oft-repeated story in the news, and we know that Washington residents want more choices in size and price.

The state legislation would prohibit utility companies from cutting off power or water service to households with past-due bills during extreme heat.

By Cathy MacCaul, AARP Washington Advocacy Director