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Dialing 2-1-1 connects family caregivers with help

By Jason Erskine

AARP Washington has joined forces with 2-1-1 and United Way Worldwide to connect residents with trained, compassionate people in their communities who can provide caregiving help at any time, any day.

People who provide care for someone—like a family member or friend—need care, too, but navigating available services or programs that can help can be a challenge. Through 2-1-1, a free information and referral helpline, caregivers can talk to actual individuals in their community to find local resources for loved ones and themselves, too.

Through 2-1-1, family caregivers can:

  • Get immediate support and talk with a local resource specialist.
  • Address basic necessities such as housing, food, and utilities for themselves and their loved ones.
  • Connect to local services and organizations that can help with transportation needs, provide healthcare and information and resources including prescription payment assistance, and access to food delivery services, home safety programs, and veterans’ benefits.
  • Get referrals to specialized help for themselves and their loved ones.

“As champions for caregivers, we know at AARP that caregiving can be a complex and challenging role, and many may not know where to turn to for help or may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of resources available,” said AARP Washington director Marguerite Ro. “2-1-1 simplifies the process by helping caregivers connect to programs and services, access financial assistance and emotional support in their communities, and more.”

“Across America, 2-1-1 is seeing continued demand for local services to help family caregivers and their loved ones,” said Joshua Pedersen, senior director of 2-1-1 at United Way Worldwide. “Often, someone might call, text or chat 2-1-1 to find out what support is available for their loved one, and the call specialist is trained to hear when they need more support for themselves, too. By joining forces with AARP, this will help fill a critical resource gap.  

2-1-1 trained call specialists respond to 50,000 requests for help every day all over the U.S. and tap into 1.5 million local resources. Washingtonians can get the local information they need by simply dialing 2-1-1 for free help. Or visit www.aarp.org/211care.

Jason Erskine is AARP Washington’s communications director.

The Senior Scene by — December 27, 2023 in News

The Angle Lake light-rail station in SeaTac is no stranger to public art. Since opening in 2016, it has welcomed visitors with colorful floating discs, an undulating colonnade of blue aluminum planks, and a vortex of boomerang shapes escorting riders to the parking garage. And now riders will hear guitar strums, drumbeats, and vocal flourishes coming from a new performance space.
The Roadhouse, which opened Oct. 29, is an all-ages, live music venue at the station. Look for it near the parking garage, under a forthcoming neon sign. In addition to producing music shows, the venue (occupancy 145) will be rentable for special events, rehearsals, workshops and classes. It’s part of STart, Sound Transit’s public art program (funded by 1 percent of construction budgets for the regional mass-transit agency).

The venue will be managed by musician and arts educator Eduardo Mendonça, owner of Show Brazil Productions, an educational arts organization based in Kent, where he lives. After one year, stakeholders will determine whether The Roadhouse experiment is worth continuing.

“The Roadhouse will fill a gap of opportunities,” said Mendonça, who has performed guitar and percussion for luminaries from Nelson Mandela to former Brazil president Joao Baptista Figueiredo. “People need to go to Seattle to do things that are related to music and culture. We do have events and opportunities that happen in south King County, but The Roadhouse for sure will be a very good addition in a different way to having our community here.” 

Mendonça said his production company is planning approximately 20 events in the space over the next year, all free to the public. They include a series called “The Sounds of Roadhouse,” aimed at adults and teens and featuring local performers of anything from pop to Latin music.

The venue will also be open to community organizations to host their own events and increase their visibility. 

Source: Crosscut.com, a Pacific Northwest, non-profit news site that’s part of Cascade Public Media.

The Senior Scene by — December 20, 2023 in Everything Else
USO brightens holidays for military           

Thousands of U.S. military members deployed overseas – many to the Middle East in response to the Israel-Hamas war –will be spending the holidays far away from loved ones. That’s where USO comes in.

Since forming in 1941, USO (United Service Organizations) has helped connect servicemen and servicewomen to their families, homes, and country.  Want to volunteer or make donations? The chapter for Joint Base Lewis-McChord and a USO center at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport can be contacted at volunteers.uso.org and 253-589-8772.

And here is how USO programming helps make the holiday season bright:

  • Care packages. They’re a reminder that servicemen and women aren’t forgotten back home. Aside from standard USO Care Packages, which contain snacks or toiletries, USO Holidays Care Packages have festive treats and goodies, such as holiday candies and clothing that help bridge the gap between home and the frontlines. This year, USO will deliver 50,000 holiday packages to over 250 locations globally.
  • Holiday traditions. USO Centers and mobile teams host holiday meals. And dach December, USO Holidays Cookie Week celebrates the time-honored tradition of baking and decorating cookies, putting service members and military families in the holiday spirit wherever they are. Other seasonal programming can include tree decorating, arts and crafts, holiday-themed movie nights, and ugly-sweater competitions.
  • Connections to home. The USO Reading Program enables deployed service members to record themselves reading a book to their child. The recording and a copy of the book are sent to that service member’s family.
  • Happy trails. Thousands of service members and trainees from military installations across the country participate in the Holiday Block Leave period, many traveling through some of the busiest airports in the United States to be with their families during the holidays. USO airport centers provide a place to relax and unwind before the next leg of their journey, along with all the comfort items they need.

More information is at uso.org/campaign/holidays.

Source: StatePoint Media

HOW TO HELP

Want to volunteer or make donations for the USO? The chapter for Joint Base Lewis-McChord and a USO center at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport can be contacted at volunteers.uso.org and 253-589-8772.

The Senior Scene by — December 14, 2023 in News

The first death of a Pierce County resident attributed to the current flu season has been reported.

A woman in her 70s died Dec. 2, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

People 65 or older are among the most at-risk of severe complications or death from flu. Pregnant women and anyone with a health condition such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease also are considered high-risk.

The Health Department tracks flu cases, but officials noted that only a healthcare provider can determine if someone is sick from flu or some other respiratory illness.

The Senior Scene by — December 14, 2023 in News