September 2024 Monthly Newsletter

Shelli's journey into caregiving began unexpectedly after her father passed away and her mother's health declined due to Alzheimer's and a lung cancer diagnosis. Despite her role as a full-time family advocate, she found herself navigating the complexities of caregiving without prior experience. Balancing work and caregiving proved challenging, leading Shelli to make personal and financial sacrifices to ensure her mother received the best care. Watch more on YouTube.

We want to hear from you! Take a few minutes to complete our survey on potential future webinar topics and let us know what you’re most interested in learning about. Take the survey today.

Join us on Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. - noon for a WA Cares Basics: What Workers Need to Know webinar. Learn more about what long-term care includes, how caregiving responsibilities impact families and the workplace, who contributes to the fund, how exemptions work, how workers meet contribution requirements (including a pathway for near retirees) and more. Register today.

ICYMI: Watch the replay of our WA Cares Conversations: Home Safety and Fall Prevention webinar. Find recordings of more past webinars and learn more about upcoming webinars on our website.

Making your home safer and preventing falls can keep you living independently at home for longer.

Fall prevention is key to remaining active and independent as we age. Falls are not a normal part of aging and are preventable. Find resources for preventing falls and ensuring your home is safe in our monthly news item.

Monthly FAQ: As an out-of-state participant and a near-retiree, can I still qualify for partial benefits for each year I work?

Yes! Out-of-state participants will use the same pathways as other workers to meet the contribution requirement. If you were born before 1968 and have opted in as an out-of-state participant, you will still earn 10% of the benefit amount for each year you work. Near-retirees will have permanent access to whatever percentage of the benefit amount they earn at any time they need care. Learn more about benefits for near-retirees.

LTSS Trust Commission:

The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Trust Commission works on behalf of Washington employees and long-term care stakeholders to improve, monitor, and implement WA Cares. The LTSS Trust Commission’s next meeting is on Oct. 30 from 1-4 p.m. Join the Zoom webinar. Find meeting details and learn more about the Commission.