SEATTLE - Seattle is being officially recognized as an "Age-Friendly" city today, joining more than 100 communities around the world.

Over the next five years, Seattle will invest in projects aimed at making the city safer for seniors, such as widening sidewalks, providing better and more affordable housing options and making transportation more accessible.

Maureen Linehan, Seattle's director of aging and disabilities services, said social withdrawal becomes an issue for people when getting around the city becomes a challenge.

"It's really easy to self-isolate, and then older adults have a high rate of depression," she said. "So, that mobility, the social inclusion are really critical pieces of the work."

Inclusion in AARP's Network of Age-Friendly Communities will improve on the city's current efforts to help older residents. The city already invests more than $30 million in senior centers, Medicaid case management and programs to prevent elder abuse.

Like many communities across the country, Seattle is seeing a shift in demographics. By 2030, close to one in five King County residents is expected to be age 65 or older. Doug Shadel, AARP Washington state director, said the city is committing itself to planning for this change.

"It's a five-year commitment," he said. "There are markers of what are your commitments, are you implementing them, and then at the end, evaluating - did we actually do these things? So, they're really holding their feet to the fire about coming up with a plan, implementing that plan and then seeing whether it worked."

Linehan said Seattle officials have looked at successful models from other cities in the network, including Portland, Ore.; Washington, D.C.; and New York City. After New York City joined the Age-Friendly Network, she said, it found that pedestrian fatalities were high among seniors.

"And so, they did an initiative," she said. "They decreased the speed limit throughout all of Manhattan; they did a lot of work on intersections and pedestrian walkways, and then a lot of working around lighting on intersections and things like that. And they decreased their older-adult pedestrian fatalities."

Seattle is the second community in Washington state to join AARP's network. Puyallup joined the network in March.

Information on the Network of Age-Friendly Communities is online at aarp.org.


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As of Jan. 1, insulin will become a lot more affordable for many Nebraskans, and those who have come to rely on telehealth visits are more likely to be able to continue receiving care this way.

The state senators who helped bring about these changes have received 2023 AARP "Champion Awards."

Sen. Eliot Bostar, D-Lincoln, was named a "Champion for Prescription Drug Affordability." His bill led to an out-of-pocket price cap of $35 for Tier 1 insulin.

Jina Ragland, associate state director of advocacy and outreach for AARP Nebraska, said it could make a big difference for people, some of whom might not have been able to take their medications as prescribed.

"They're rationing medications because they can't afford them, and they're trying to pay for groceries or utility bills or whatever," Ragland observed. "Which, for diabetes and insulin-dependent individuals, can be deadly."

Sen. Tom Brewer, R-Gordon, received a "Champion for Family Caregivers" award for his legislation to help ensure access to telehealth services. It requires insurance companies to pay in-state providers at least as much for telehealth visits as for in-person visits.

Ragland pointed out telehealth can make a huge difference, especially for those in rural parts of the state. She noted the telehealth option can spare some Nebraskans many hours of driving to appointments.

"How many people have a loved one that's an older parent that may have to take off a full day of work to drive from rural Nebraska," Ragland stressed. "Either into Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha - or if they're going the other way, even into Denver or parts of Wyoming?"

Ragland expects telehealth will continue to grow in popularity, and believes it will help with the workforce shortage at Nebraska's rural clinics and hospitals.

"As people become more and more comfortable and have the connectivity, they're able to utilize this service," Ragland emphasized. "I think even for the provider side, it saves a lot of time for them, also, in meeting the needs of more people, I think, in a more time-efficient and effective model."

She added telehealth can contribute greatly to a person's ability to remain as independent as possible while "aging in place."

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and many of the 200,000 Nebraskans who help care for loved ones with a health issue or disability could use help.

Caregiving can take its toll. In one survey, almost three-fourths of caregivers said they were emotionally stressed, and over half reported financial strain.

Mike Osberg is coordinator of the Caregiver Support Program at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, which provides respite, or relief, for caregivers. He said the person being cared for must be age 60 or older, unless they have a diagnosis of early dementia. And they must require help with at least two activities of daily living.

"That includes things like being able to take a bath or shower by themselves, dressing themselves, being able to manually feed themselves," Osberg outlined. "Then, do they have problems with walking and using the bathroom?"

Osberg pointed out the caregiver is actually the client and must be at least 18 years old. They can receive up to six hours a week of relief from an in-home respite provider, or they can have their loved one attend an adult day program for five full days per month.

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging serves Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Each of Nebraska's eight Area Agencies on Aging provide support for caregivers, although the services may vary.

Each month, they send the caregiver a "contribution request" to cover a suggested percentage of respite expenses. Osberg noted the amount is based on the care receiver's monthly income, or a couple's combined income, if the spouse is the caregiver.

"A lot of folks, their income is low, so we may only ask for them to consider 10% of what the total cost was for the month -- or 20%, or 30% or on up -- but it's strictly voluntary," Osberg emphasized.

He added no one is denied services based on income or inability to pay.

Those who choose an in-home respite provider can schedule how they use the six hours per week, and Osberg stressed the adult day program can benefit the care receiver as well as the caregiver.

"The caregiver gets a bigger chunk of time," Osberg observed. "But also, the care receiver gets to participate in activities, is going to probably eat their noon lunch and snacks there, participate maybe even in a little road trip, things like that."

He said the participating caregiving agencies are all bonded and insured, and conduct background checks on their employees.


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Idaho officials are holding an event in the capitol to recognize family caregivers during National Family Caregiver Month. Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke is reading a proclamation signed by Governor Brad Little in the Capitol Rotunda today.

Francoise Cleveland, associate state director of advocacy, AARP Idaho, said family caregivers often don't recognize the vital role they play.

"They sacrifice their time, their health and their financial stability to provide that care and support, and often this is a labor of love," Cleveland said.

Cleveland added that family caregivers are crucial for ensuring people stay in their homes as they age, which is the option many prefer. There are about 210,000 caregivers in Idaho, according to data from AARP.

Deneice Anderson, a family caregiver in Idaho taking care of her 82 year old mother, said it can be difficult to balance the assistance her mom needs with her own needs.

"She had a gal hit her car one day and so I'm the one that's doing the insurance work for that. And I take her to her appointments - and I work full time," she explained.

Cleveland says AARP Idaho has legislative priorities for the 2024 session that could help improve caregivers' lives.

"We will be working on addressing the shortage of direct care workers in Idaho, protecting vulnerable adults from financial exploitation, ensuring health care is available through Medicaid and working to update the guardianship and conservatorship statutes," Anderson said.

The 2024 legislative session is scheduled to begin on January 8th.