Who cares for the caregiver?

The financial and emotional challenges of caring for a spouse wear on Sammamish resident Michael O’Connell. As the sole caregiver for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s, he wonders if their savings will last through her illness.

They did all the right things you would expect of a solidly middleclass family, planning carefully for retirement, but he is facing a situation where their savings may not last. And, with a family history of Parkinson’s disease, he worries about how he will fare if something happens to him.

“It keeps me up night and day,” O’Connell said.

Taking care of an aging or ill family member can be enormously rewarding. But, as any current or former caregiver can attest, caregiving can be physically, emotionally and financially draining. The unpaid care provided by our family caregivers is critical to our nation’s health and long-term care systems.

In a 2021 AARP study about the financial toll of caregiving, about

Report shows state’s economy continuing to recover

A recent Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast shows that the economy continues to recover, although high inflation threatens to slow economic growth. The state economy continued to expand through the end of 2022, the report said.

The March report shows lower personal income and housing construction but higher inflation than in the November forecast. Job growth is stronger in the near term but slightly weaker after this year. A slowdown in taxable activity is half of caregivers say they have experienced financial setbacks. This may mean they have had to curtail their spending, dip into personal savings, or cut back on retirement contributions. The recent Covid-19 pandemic magnified sacrifices for caregivers, with 42% of respondents spending more time and money on caregiving. and depression. The effects on physical and mental health also are well documented. Often complex and prolonged caregiving leads to a decline in health for the caregiver. Moreover, family caregivers are less likely to engage in preventive health behaviors.

Connections network. It helps individuals, their caregivers, legal representatives and families navigate and connect with information and access to long-term and home- or community-based services and supports. You can call them toll-free at 855-5670252 or visit waclc.org.

Christina Clem AAPR

The AARP study highlights the need for effective public policy to support families financially. One such piece of legislation introduced in the U.S. Congress, the Credit for Caring Act, would provide a tax credit of up to $5,000 to eligible working caregivers.

Caregivers report increased rates of physical ailments, chronic conditions, diminished immune response and an increased risk of heart disease expected to start during the current biennium, the report said. However, forecasted revenue for the current biennium has been increased despite the expected slowdown due to surplus collections.

The report expects the state to see a decline in real estate excise tax, which has come in below the November forecast and is expected to decrease further due to higher mortgage rates.

To read the full report, go to bit. ly/40RebL8.

New food co-op signs building lease

The Tri-Cities Food Co-op’s Steering Committee signed a lease for its new home on April 6.

There are several resources available to help caregivers find some balance. AARP Washington has a list of resources at aarp.org/wacaregiverresources. We also have a dedicated, toll-free family caregiving line.

While our agents cannot provide specific advice to callers, they can suggest resources on several topics, including caring for the caregiver, financial issues, home care, legal issues, long-distance caregiving and veteran caregiving.

Agents can take calls from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1-877333-5885. The support line is also available in Spanish at 1-888-9712013. You don’t have to be an AARP member to call the support line.

Another good place to start is Washington’s Community Living

Alan Schreiber, who is leading the effort, said the co-op will be able to move in within a month or so.

“This gives the landlord time to fix it, polish it, make sure it is up to code,” he said.

Schreiber also reported that the group has conditional approval for its financing.

The building for the future co-op is at 1420 Jadwin Ave., the former home of Atomic City Thrift.

New restaurants open their doors

Several new restaurants have opened around the Tri-Cities, including the following:

• Fable Craft Bar, Wine Saloon and Food Joint has opened at 1705 Columbia Park Trail, Richland. It’s a riverfront full-service restaurant, owned by Bookwalter Winery’s John Bookwalter, serving beer, wine and craft spirits and upscale pub foods. Contact: 509-396-7443.

As his wife’s sole caregiver, O’Connell spends most of his day doing everything she used to do –paying bills, food shopping, cooking and housework, in addition to caring for her needs.

“These are supposed to be our golden years, yet Social Security is failing to keep up with the cost of living. We need to do more as a nation to make sure those who need care, like my wife, have quality care and that those who care for them don’t become poor and work themselves to death in the process,” he said.

We could not agree more.

Christina Clem is a communications analyst with AARP Washington.

• Underground Taphouse has opened at 4525 N. Road 68, Suite J, in Pasco. The taphouse offers 32 taps of beer and cider and a selection of wine. Contact: 509-8517273; undergroundtaphouse.com.

• Picante Mexican Taqueria has opened at 20 S. Auburn St., Kennewick. The former food truck recently moved into a brick-andmortar restaurant in downtown Kennewick. Contact: 509-585-7500; picantemexicantaqueria.com.

MAY 5