Next Tuesday, Tuesday, July 31, Councilmembers Bagshaw, O’Brien, and Rasmussen will join me, the Seattle Human Services Department, and the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services invites to a special noon forum on caregiver stress and support services.  The event will happen in City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, Seattle City Hall, 700 Fourth Avenue, Downtown Seattle.

In 2007, King County was home to an estimated 210,000 unpaid family caregivers—more than 14 percent of the adult population and one in four spent 40 hours or more per week as a caregiver.  We are hoping that downtown employees and other members of the public can join us on Tuesday to learn that if they are a caregiver for a family member, friend, or neighbor that they are not alone, help is available.  I myself have an adult stepson with a disability.  Caregiving is very rewarding, but to provide quality care for a loved one, I know as well as anyone, that we must also  maintain our own health and quality of life .

The Seattle Human Services Department contracts with 10 agencies to provide caregiver support services like information, referrals, coaching, counseling, support groups, training, and respite care. Most services are free to the caregiver. Respite care is provided on a fee basis.  For more information on caregiver support programs, visit www.kccaregiver.org.

If you can’t make the meeting, it will be live on Seattle Channel 21 and the City Council’s website.