November is a busy month, with Thanksgiving and other holidays approaching that many of us look forward to celebrating with our loved ones. It is...
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AARP knows that family caregivers are the backbone of our nation’s long-term care system. In Washington state, 820,000 family caregivers provide $16.8 billion in unpaid...
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Long-term care funding may seem irrelevant to those of us who are considered young and able-bodied. In reality, everyone should understand the WA Cares Fund...
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Do you have a groundbreaking idea to improve the lives of those living with dementia and their caregivers? Maude's Ventures is seeking your vision! The...
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KD shares a home in the Seattle area with her husband David, their two children and her mother-in-law Kathleen. Kathleen needs long-term care due to...
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Every day nationwide, about 38 million people perform a great labor of love as a family caregiver: caring for parents, spouses, adult children with disabilities,...
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Sun-Hee and Yunhee are sisters and nurses living in the Puget Sound area. They provided care for their dad until he passed away from Alzheimer’s...
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AARP Washington has joined forces with 211 and United Way Worldwide to connect residents with trained, compassionate people in their communities who can provide caregiving...
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As a family caregiver, whether you are a spouse, partner, adult child, or friend, you know the journey is not an over-and-done scenario—it’s a marathon....
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Technology is a crucial component in most aspects of our lives, including caregiving. Whether it’s virtual doctor appointments, medical alert systems, or thermostats in our...
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Veterans Day—originally known as Armistice Day—was first celebrated on November 11, 1919, to commemorate the end of World War I. It was officially recognized as...
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First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s caregiver quote includes just about everyone, right? Last month, the Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) for Caregivers celebrated 36 years of promoting...
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My sweet husband, Evan, was 47 years old when he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Our kids were 12 and 15. I could write volumes...
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November is National Family Caregiver Support Month. We are grateful to Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and members of the Seattle City Council for proclaiming November...
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Many family caregivers, as they navigate their way through the day-to-day challenges of being responsible for a loved one, discover the need to connect with...
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November is a very busy month for most of us. For Aging Network advocates, it’s a time to line up our legislative requests. You can...
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The number of grandparents caring for grandchildren is significant and continues to grow. In general, the reasons include the opioid crisis, increasing gas prices and...
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We are entering our third year of a pandemic that has stretched us emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially. Daily life is challenging enough but toss...
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November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time dedicated to uplifting caregivers as they care for loved ones 24/7 and an opportunity to increase awareness...
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Full time unpaid caregivers for a loved one with dementia have it hard enough during normal times but during this COVID-19 pandemic it goes to...
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Honoring our grandparents is a significant practice in African American culture. Grandparents have always played important roles in nurturing and stabilizing families. Whether through discipline,...
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Most of us are, have been, or will be a family caregiver or will need help to live independently at some point in our lives....
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We love Memory Sunday! Why? Because it is a day to talk about our brains, living (and living well) with memory loss, and support for...
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This has been a year of so many unprecedented crises, including a global pandemic; stay at home orders; the horrible police shootings of George Floyd,...
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“I don’t know what I would do without this help.” This is something that Aging and Disability Services’ longtime caregiver support specialist Kristine Broome hears...
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In November, we give thanks—not only on Thanksgiving but for the tremendous contribution of unpaid caregivers to our families and throughout our communities. That’s because...
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Dementia is not a normal part of aging. Dementia is an “umbrella” term used to describe a loss of cognitive function—remembering, thinking, and reasoning—severe enough...
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Grandparents miss cuddling their grandbabies. Teens miss hangouts and deep talks with their closest friends. We miss seeing our siblings and cousins, best friends, barbers,...
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November is National Caregivers Month. In 2006, Aging and Disability Services collaborated with the Alzheimer’s Association, Washington State Chapter, to develop an annual conference that...
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Grandparents are very special. I have fond memories of fun times with my grandparents. My grandpa was a quiet man who loved to fish. I...
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Our public health approach to gun violence is a framework that we use to understand how and when firearms are used unsafely, raise public awareness...
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Have you noticed yourself forgetting names of acquaintances or common items? Or, maybe keeping track of complicated instructions or directions has become more difficult. If...
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Did you know? Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and the fifth leading cause of death of older...
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The state legislative session adjourned April 28 with several wins for the Seattle-King County Advisory Council for Aging & Disability Services (ADS) and other Area...
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We are an aging nation. Since 2011, baby boomers have been turning 65 at an average rate of 10,000 per day, a trend that will...
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May is Older Americans Month. The national theme is Connect, Create, Contribute. I encourage you to reach out to an older person—a friend, family member,...
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News about immunizations and vaccinations comes out daily, what with the recent measles outbreaks. It leaves a lot of older adults wondering whether or not...
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On Monday, June 3, 2019 a day-long conference for caregivers called "Giving Care, Taking Care" will take place in Tukwila. The event is hosted by...
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When David received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's at age 76, a cloud of sorts was lifted. All the questions about memory lapses, balance issues, and...
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Caregivers are often the hidden heroes when providing care to their spouse or other family member. Veterans and/or veteran spouses are often placed in a...
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[caption id="attachment_1992" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Click above to watch “Mama Blue Gets Weatherized!”[/caption] Winter is upon us and we are turning the heat up for Mama...
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A new year is upon us! With it come resolutions to eat better, get more exercise, and start down the path to better health. These...
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[caption id="attachment_1970" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Telecoils deliver the audio signal from an assistive listening system simultaneously to every person with a telecoil-enabled hearing device.[/caption] Many people...
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The Human Services Department is pleased to announce the results of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Community Living Connections, a program that links older...
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Who is a long-distance caregiver? According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a long-distance caregiver is anyone, anywhere, no matter your gender, income, age,...
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On the second Monday in January, the 66th Washington State Legislature convenes its 2019 session in Olympia. Throughout the session—which meets for 105 days in...
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"Give an experience instead of stuff" for the holidays! Catchy, isn't it? That's been a popular concept for years. Usually that has meant giving someone...
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The holidays are busy times, filled with activities, traditions, and visits with family and friends. It's often the time when those who live apart geographically...
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Getting through the holiday season while caring for a loved one can be a challenge on many levels. Holidays tend to bring up emotions,...
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"Recessional," a Rudyard Kipling poem, is a common hymn at war remembrances services. One phrase—lest we forget—is used frequently in film, literature, and music to...
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Many middle-income households will face the same challenges that my siblings and I do in providing care for an aging parent. What we learned along...
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"Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it's a comfort to go hand in hand."—Emily Kimbrough As many family caregivers can attest,...
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The month of November is both National Family Caregiver Month and National Alzheimer's Awareness Month. These designations happen to coincide in a very meaningful way....
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Some of the things that I enjoy most about AgeWise King County is the ability to provide food for thought, resources for healthy aging and...
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Sound Generations, Hunger Intervention Program, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Horn of Africa Services have teamed up to bring healthy meals, fitness programs, recreational activities,...
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In August and September, both King County and the City of Seattle made major investments in community-based services for older people, recognizing significant growth of...
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Did you know that Breast Cancer Awareness Month was first observed in the United States in October 1985? This is an international campaign that seeks...
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Love is the quintessential driving force in African American families. Love has provided a strong foundation for us in the face of 400 years and...
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Most of us know or have known someone who experienced a crisis. Unfortunately, financial and health crises are a common occurrence. And that adage, "accidents...
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We live in a world full of risks and hazards. There have always been weather-related and other natural disaster events, but these days it seems...
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Respite, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is "an interval of rest or relief." Respite is an essential necessity that is often overlooked by family caregivers. It...
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Aging Options knows that efforts to provide quality of life and asset protection for 41.4 million Americans age 65 or older are plagued with difficulties....
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Aging and Disability Services (ADS)—the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle & King County—is planning for an upcoming funding process for our network of information,...
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Safely store the medicines you use and dispose of what you no longer need. Did you know that more than 50 percent of older adults...
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Seattle hosted the Special Olympics USA Games the first of July. The mission of the USA Games is to "showcase the abilities of athletes with...
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Every 10 years, the White House hosts a conference on aging. Regional forums were held around the country to gather public input on issues of...
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These days, everybody is thinking about legacy. From politicians to tech programmers designing programs for capturing our digital lives, the legacy concept looms large. And...
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I know I date myself when I share a quote from "The A-Team," an action-adventure television series in the 1980s. As Colonel Hannibal Smith, a...
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Recently I received a call from a friend who wanted information about high lead levels in the blood. I'm a nurse. I've worked for the...
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Aging and Disability Services' largest community partner, Sound Generations, has named Jim Wigfall as its new Chief Executive Officer. A long-standing Boeing executive leader, Wigfall...
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I grew up in a small Midwest town in the 60s and enjoyed daily interaction with older adults—relatives, neighbors, church members, shopkeepers. My paternal grandparents...
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"Joe" is a lonely, friendly, and trusting 78-year-old man with a soft spot for those with hard-luck stories. He was befriended by "Sally," a much...
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Every May we celebrate National Nurses Week. It begins May 6 and ends May 12—on Florence Nightingale's birthday. The nursing profession has seen many changes...
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Alzheimer's disease is a devastating degenerative disease that causes memory loss, challenging behavior problems, and severe functional limitations. Across the nation, 13.8 percent of older...
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When Tilth Alliance was awarded a Seattle Human Services Department 2017 Innovation Fund award for its Community Good Food Project, it had two primary tasks:...
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When there is an emergency, often the first community request is for blood donations; however, blood donations are always needed to save lives and donation...
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"My grandma is my mommy who chose me." So says Ms. Shirley's seven-year-old granddaughter who came to live with her six years ago when her...
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Spring is in the air, and we’ve got some refreshing news about the aging network to share! Age-friendly communities I hope you’ve noticed the exciting...
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It seems to happen to me more frequently, an older adult at the grocery store, or in line at the library, striking up a conversation....
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At the center of our circulatory system is an organ responsible for pumping blood to all the cells in our body—the heart. The blood vessels,...
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On February 22, ADS Advisory Council members will participate in Senior Lobby Day. Organized by the Washington State Senior Citizens' Lobby in partnership with the...
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Nobody plans to get the flu, but you can plan to stay healthy with an annual flu vaccination. Test your flu IQ with this quiz,...
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At Social Security, protecting your personal information is more important than ever. We continue to evaluate and improve our robust cyber-security program to safeguard your...
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With green holidays, it's time to take the gloves off—the winter gloves. And the Santa wrapping paper too! "Green holidays" programs and campaigns are all...
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Age Friendly Seattle, the City’s initiative to make Seattle a great place to grow up AND grow old, hosted 200 people—mostly women, all ages—at "Engaging...
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At a recent conference (Elder Friendly Futures 2017—The Essential Work of Caregiving Across Communities), one of the speakers asked, "Who is a caregiver in this...
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A dynamic new non-profit provides relief for caregivers while helping those with dementia to live full, active lives at their daytime memory care locations on...
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In July 2016, the City of Seattle furthered their commitment to being a city for all ages by joining the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities....
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November is National Family Caregivers Month. This year's theme is "Caregiving Around the Clock." November is also National Alzheimer's Awareness Month. As anyone who has...
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Many of us help out family members and friends who are older, sick, or have a disability but don't think of ourselves as caregivers—when in...
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We have much to be thankful for this year. The Age Friendly Seattle resolution was unanimously adopted by the Seattle City Council, committing the city...
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The 10th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day will be observed on September 22, 2017—the first day of fall. In honor of this notable milestone, this...
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In the early '80s, a revolution in Washington state began with a simple notion—people who need long-term support want to stay at home for as...
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In September 2016, my daughter and son-in-law stopped by for a visit one weekend and explained that they were moving to Missouri. We listened attentively...
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If you have listened to the news or opened a local paper recently, chances are that you are aware of the potential for a destructive...
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The 10th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day will be observed on September 22, 2017—the first day of fall. In honor of this notable milestone, this...
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Immunizations are vital to your health as well as the health of those around you. However, there is a lot of conflicting information swirling around...
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Our world is more connected globally than ever before. We have the capability to fly across the globe to see and experience other countries and...
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Developmentally delayed and suffering from diabetes, dementia and several mental health diagnoses, Hazel began to fall repeatedly while in the care of her aging sister....
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"There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers,...
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Who among us hasn't known someone who, as they grew older, became increasingly withdrawn? She or he may have said they liked living alone. He...
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Does end-of-life education belong in an age-friendly community's effort? Most people don't use the words "friendly" next to "death" or "dying." Although, if we agree...
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As the aging population grows across the United States, Swedish is developing services that make it easier for older adults to stay in charge of...
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Adult day services are community-based daytime programs that have existed for nearly 70 years and consist of adult day care and adult day health. Yale...
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Imagine a warm, crisp, sun-drenched morning, a slight breeze rippling over a spectacular river, the day just getting underway for business commuters and cackling cockatoos...
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The historic Supreme Court decision in June 2015 legalizing marriage equality in all 50 states enables LGBTQ life partners and those in long-term relationships to...
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May is Older Americans Month, and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) is encouraging older adults to make a statement. Let's do it! Let's start...
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Persons with chronic illnesses often feel overwhelmed. At times, there seems to be no end in sight to pain or discomfort, only a constant need...
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In July 2016, the City of Seattle joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities, which is affiliated with the World Health Organization's Global Network of...
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Caregiving is difficult and exhausting work. Family caregivers frequently report experiencing high levels of stress. If you don't take time to set limits on what...
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The House leadership's decision to withdraw the American Health Care Act from consideration in late March proves that the voices of Americans are very powerful....
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When the World Health Organization (WHO) established its Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities in 2010, it recognized eight domains of livability—community features that...
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Safely disposing of unwanted medicines protects public health by reducing the amount of medicines available for misuse and keeping waste medicines out of the environment....
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Key theme in Discovery 2017 Alzheimer's Regional Conference So often the discussion about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is narrowly focused on diagnosis and the...
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Nothing can be more discouraging than returning home from a hospital stay, only to be readmitted due to something you didn't anticipate, such as a...
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If you work with older adults—as a service provider, caregiver, health care professional, or advocate—mark your calendar for this year's care transitions conference—Care Transitions: We're...
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Family caregivers and in-home care providers are invited to attend "Giving Care, Taking Care," a day-long conference on Monday, June 5, 2017 in Tukwila, Washington....
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According to the American Heart Association (AHA), "cardiovascular disease—including heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure—is responsible for one out of every three deaths. It...
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When Aging and Disability Services (ADS) first announced our clinical-community partnership with the Northwest Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Center (NWGWEC), we could not know how successful...
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Ask anyone for advice about living a long, healthy life and you'll probably hear tips about the importance of eating well, stopping smoking, exercising, and...
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As you are gearing up for the holidays and getting ready for your family to come together, you may be think about holding a family...
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The holidays are a wonderful time. But with all of the good that comes along with the holidays—family, friends and traditions—added stress can also creep...
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"'Tis the season to be … " This is where you fill in the blank with the standard answer—the ones that are expected. We should...
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The holidays are here and with them come family gatherings. It's a perfect time to consider holiday activities that are intergenerational, as these offer some...
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According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, a family caregiver is "someone who is responsible for attending to the daily needs of another person. Family...
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Aging and Disability Services director Maureen Linehan and AARP Washington state director Doug Shadel talk with New Day Northwest host Margaret Larson Two Puget Sound...
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The 9th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day will be observed on September 22, 2016—the first day of fall. Washington Governor Jay Inslee has declared September...
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Philip Culbertson tells of his journey to the diagnosis of dementia and of how his life has changed since accepting his children's help. I'd moved...
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It's important to have an estate plan in place—regardless of your wealth and the size of your estate. Many folks believe they don't need an...
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I often reflect on the relationships I've developed in my twenty-plus years working in the aging field. The most honest and real are those I've...
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Increased awareness about sports concussions, and concussions in general, has been growing. The fact that someone does not have to lose consciousness to have a...
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As an Aging Life Care™ professional, I've seen it first-hand: adult children would rather talk about finances and end-of-life issues with their parents than ask...
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Help for millions of family caregivers across Washington state is on its way with the introduction of House Bill 2424—the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable...
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Did you know that immunizations aren't just for kids? It's true! Vaccines are recommended from birth through adulthood to provide a lifetime of protection against...
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