About 80 percent of us will need some form of long-term care in our lifetimes, says Aaron Van Valkenburg. But most of that care will be provided at home, not a healthcare facility. And the needed help is often not medical, but rather assistance with basic personal tasks. 

“Keys to Caring @ Home,” a free series of public conversations hosted in Tacoma, Gig Harbor and University Place by Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources, focuses on caring at home, the services that are available, the difference between home care and home health, working with providers, paying for care, and how to avoid expensive services that can drain resources quickly. 

“There are no cookie-cutter solutions when it comes to needing care at home,” said Van Valkenburg, manager of Aging and Disability Resources, a program of Pierce County government. “The needs of each care recipient and the situation of each family often dictate the mix of care that needs to be provided.  Quite often, the most important part of planning for care is knowing the right questions to ask when the need arises.”

The “Keys to” conversations will be held on:

• Feb. 11 at 12:10 p.m. at the Pierce County Annex, 2401 S. 35th St. in Tacoma.

• Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Gig Harbor branch of Pierce County Library, 4424 Pt. Fosdick Dr. SW. in Gig Harbor.

• Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the University Place branch of Pierce County Library, 3609 Market Place W. in University Place.

• Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Parkland-Spanaway branch of Pierce County Library, 13718 Pacific Ave.

While many families pay for care out-of-pocket or through health insurance or long-term care insurance, there are publicly funded resources that may help cover the costs and prolong care for weeks or months, officials said.

Additional information about the upcoming presentations is available from Aging and Disability Resources at 253-798-4600 or 800-562-0332. In case of inclement weather, information will be available at 253-798-8787 on any possible cancellations or postponements.