Welcome to the August Issue of Seniors Digest

Kaylene Moon, Advisory Council for Aging & Disability Services

The baby boom generation is aging, and so are their parents. Today, more than half of all boomers (born between 1946 and 1964, today ages 47 to 65) have one or both parents living. Our aging population means that an increasing number of adults require assistance with activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, and bathing. Family caregivers fill this need by taking time off work and other responsibilities to care for their loved ones at home.

In Seattle-King County, an estimated 210,000 adults (14.5 percent of the adult population) spend at least some time caring for a loved one. More than half of these informal caregivers provide care to persons over 65 years of age. About 20 percent of those caring for an elder spend more than 20 hours per week on caregiving. An estimated 58,000 (three percent of the population) are primary caregivers, meaning they are the person most responsible for providing care to their loved one.

The AARP Public Policy Institute estimates that the monetary value of family caregiving is $350 billion in the U.S., far in excess of the $250 billion spent annually on nursing homes and home health care.

In this issue, you'll read about resources for family caregivers ("Family Caregiving: A Journey of Identity Changes") as well as managing caregiver stress and resources for family caregivers.

Also in this issue...

• The 2012-2015 Draft Area Plan on Aging is now available for review
  
• Make Hearing Health a Priority
  
• Aging and Disability Services Wins National Award for Innovation
  
• Save the Date for Upcoming Events
  
• "A Salute to Families" Word Scramble

For More Information

See "Links You Can Use" for local websites that can direct you to services for seniors. And check out the Online Information Center, where you will find resources and information about issues of interest to older adults and their families.

We hope you will refer to our electronic pages often—to obtain advice, to learn of new and exciting services, and to offer us your constructive feedback.

Read Seniors Digest and tell us what you think. We are here to help.

Kaylene Moon, Chair
Seattle-King County Advisory Council
on Aging and Disability Services