Women to Women: Living Longer, Living Smarter (Free Events)

Women to Women:  Living Longer, Living Smarter

You’ve worked hard for a place to call home, a family, a job, and maybe a few extras.  But life’s calling.  Finding the time to focus on your future is particularly important for women, who generally have more years to cover in retirement with fewer resources.

“Do you remember the old saying, ‘A woman’s work is never done?’” asks AARP Outreach Director Cheryl Weber. “That’s why AARP has launched the program called Decide.Create.Share.” The program provides a framework for women to think about their futures.  It brings women together in small gatherings and prompts them to talk about their own situations and to create a plan outlining how to reduce health care risks; how to pay for possible long-term care needs; decide whether their homes will meet their needs as they age; and share their health care wishes with family members to ensure that those preferences are followed even if they are unable to communicate them.

Because women tend to live longer than men, they face different challenges when it comes to their long-term care needs. For instance, women who work outside the home are more likely than men to interrupt their careers to take care of children or their own parents.  Women also are more likely to work in part-time jobs that don’t qualify for a retirement plan.  Additional factors such as divorce or widowhood can leave women with fewer resources over their lifetimes.

AARP is offering a series of free “Decide.Create.Share.” workshops starting in May.  They are scheduled for May 18 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center, July 20 at the People’s Institutional Baptist Church in Seattle, September 28 at St. Martin’s College in Olympia, and October 12 at the Southside Senior and Community Center in Spokane.

The workshops will cover home and community concerns, health, finances and legal issues.  The events are free, but space is limited and pre-registration is required.  Register using the links below, or call toll-free 1-877-926-8300.

Mercer Island (PAST EVENT)
Saturday, May 18
Mercer Island Community & Event Center
8236 SE 24th Street
Mercer Island, WA  98040

Seattle (EVENT FULL)
Saturday, July 20
Peoples Institutional Baptist Church
159 24th Avenue
Seattle, WA  98122
EVENT FULL

Olympia
Saturday, September 28 (EVENT FULL)
St. Martin’s College – Worthington Center
5000 Abbey Way SE
Lacey, WA  98503
Register Online
1-877-926-8300

Spokane
Saturday, October 12
Southside Senior & Community Center
3151 East 27th Avenue
Spokane 99223
Register Online
1-877-926-8300