We know that some people are eager to get started and others are too overwhelmed to take the first step. But you only have a short window of time, so this year we’ve created a new tool to help you get started and take action if you want or need to make a change.

It’s called the Medicare Open Enrollment Jumpstart Toolkit, and it includes seven easy steps you can take today. To create this guide, we started with what we’ve learned from helping people every year:

• Many are unsure of the type of plan they currently have.
• They can’t find the important piece of mail they were sent that details what’s changing for next year.
• They’re unsure of what’s changing or what’s really important to them about their current coverage, like premiums, providers, or prescription choices.
• They have not created an online Medicare account.
• They don’t know how to use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool or why they should.

We spend a lot of time helping people with these “get ready” steps before we can help them make the critical step of picking a new plan. The Medicare Jumpstart Toolkit is designed to help you walk through the first steps you need to take before you can compare plans and get enrolled. It includes:

• A big envelope to save all your important mail — so you have the details of how your plan is changing.
• A menu of the different types of health plan cards — similar to a diner menu — so you can see the different cards and match yours! This is important because your options will depend on the type of plan you have.

• A worksheet to help you map out how your plan is changing and what matters to you.

• A simple overview of your options depending on the type of plan you have today, because knowing what type of Medicare plan you have today will help you understand your options.

• Details on how to create an online Medicare account.
• The benefits of using Medicare’s Plan Finder tool.
• And finally, steps to get ready to talk with a SHIBA volunteer and get enrolled in your new plan!

Visit www.insurance.wa.gov to order a free Medicare Jumpstart Toolkit today or to find a SHIBA event near you. You can also pick up a copy at most local libraries and senior centers. Grab a copy for a friend, or neighbor, too!

For information about commonly asked Medicare questions, you can also visit AARP’s Getting Help site at www.aarp.org/medicare/getting-help/

If we get everyone ready, we can help even more people get the coverage they need.

Commissioner Patty Kuderer, Washington’s ninth insurance commissioner, is committed to protecting consumers, promoting transparency and fairness in the insurance market, and advocating for expanded access to affordable healthcare.

The post Get ready for Medicare Open Enrollment with Jumpstart Toolkit appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

When my work role shifted to primarily that of family caregiver for my elderly, now deceased, mother, it was through disaster-colored lenses that I crafted part of her care and well-being.

My mother lived in Northern California with me from 2016 through 2020. By the time she passed at age 90, her health and physical condition had deteriorated to needing full assistance for all mobility and personal care.

I would often ask myself, ‘How will I get Mom to safety when a wildfire breaks out?’  Notice, I said ‘when’ not ‘if.’ I’m not a doom-and-gloom person, but instead, I have been shaped by those professional experiences and hard data surrounding disasters.

In 2018 alone, CalFire (California’s state fire agency) reported 7,948 wildfires. Fourteen of those were in Butte County, where we lived. One of those, the Camp Fire, destroyed the town of Paradise, located about 30 miles from our home. One of the most poignant stories I covered during that fire was about a husband and spousal caregiver. He had just enough time to hoist his bedridden wife and her wheelchair into a van. They narrowly escaped with their lives.

Washington state is not immune to disasters. Think of landslides, tsunamis, earthquakes or wildfires. In 2024, data from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources indicates that there were 826 wildfires within their jurisdiction. The primary causes? 305 were considered undetermined, 78 were from lightning, and 443 were human-caused.

I always knew I needed to have a non-negotiable approach to keeping my mother safe. If you are a family caregiver, I encourage you to do the same. Plan for the absolute worst, hope it never happens, but know you are ready if it does. Here are some of the steps I took:

1. Prepare and pack a ‘go bag’ for each person. My mother’s bag included two changes of clothes, a week’s worth of underclothes, a package of adult underwear, personal toiletries, a week’s worth of her medications, toilet paper, body/hand wipes, and copies of her important documents, including Insurance/Medicare cards, passport, AARP card, military identification, and contact information for her doctors.
2. Make hard-copy copies of important documents, upload digitized versions to the cloud, and email them to other family members and/or yourself.
3. Know your evacuation routes. Not sure? Contact your local police or sheriff’s department.
4. Rehearse your emergency plan. When a life-or-death situation arises, it can be easy to lose focus in the moment.
5. Sign up with local emergency alert apps.
6. Keep our car’s gas tank filled. You might find long lines or stations that are already closed.
7. Is your loved one residing at a professional care facility? Ask administrators in advance if they have an emergency evacuation plan and what that entails.
8. Research area hotels in advance that can accommodate your loved one.
9. Make time to digitize irreplaceable photos or family keepsakes.

Thankfully, I never had to evacuate my mother under emergency orders. However, those emergency ‘go-bags’ and a rehearsed plan? Well, it came in handy. In July 2024, I watched the Park Fire in Northern California consume my home. Sadly, I did not do step nine.

Learn more about preparing in advance for disaster events. Visit www.aarp.org/disasterprepwa.

 Bellevue resident, Julia Yarbough is an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist, communications consultant, and freelance writer.  She is the creator and publisher of Keeping It REAL Caregiving, a Substack newsletter and website.

The post Hope the Worst Never Happens, But Plan Like It Will appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Over the past nine decades, not a single payment has been missed. That’s not just reliability—it’s a testament to the strength and success of one of America’s most trusted institutions. We’ve all paid into it. We all depend on it. And we must all fight to protect it.

What Social Security Means for Washington
Today, over 1.4 million Washingtonians rely on Social Security. For many, it’s the difference between stability and hardship—covering rent, groceries, prescriptions, and basic needs. Without it, nearly 314,000 residents would fall below the poverty line.

That is the case for 76-year-old West Seattle resident Sue Luke, who relies solely on her monthly Social Security payment to make ends meet. Her first order of business each month is to pay her rent, and then she orders groceries, cat litter, and other essential items that she has put off until the first of the month.

“Social Security means everything to me. Without it, I would really be up a deep creek,” Sue remarked. “If something happened to my payments, I would definitely have to find work, but honestly, physically, I’m just not up to it. I use a walker now, so I doubt anyone would want me.”

Social Security provides crucial financial protection for people with disabilities, children who lose a parent, and surviving spouses. And it’s earned—paid for with every paycheck, from your first job to your last.

The impact of Social Security ripples through our economy, generating nearly $32 billion in annual economic activity across Washington – supporting local businesses, jobs, and communities.

Protecting What We’ve Earned

Despite its success, Social Security is under pressure. Across Washington and the nation, people face long wait times, understaffed offices, and confusing policy changes that make it harder for individuals to access benefits they have rightfully earned.

And while Social Security is not “going broke,” it does face a funding shortfall. The latest report from the Social Security Board of Trustees warns that by 2033, benefits could be cut by 20% if Congress fails to act. That’s unacceptable – Social Security must remain financially strong for today’s retirees and for generations to come.

Commemorating the 90^th anniversary of Social Security
To celebrate this important milestone, AARP Washington is holding celebration events in locations throughout the state. This is chance to gather with your neighbors, share stories, meet new friends, and take action to protect what you’ve earned.

We have events planned in Seattle, Bothell, Yakima and Spokane. Find more information and register at www.aarp.org/socialsecuritywa All events are free, but pre-registration is required.

Our Money. Our Future.
Social Security belongs to us. We paid for it. We depend on it. And AARP will never stop fighting to ensure it’s there when you need it—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come. Learn more and get involved at aarp.org/socialsecurity

The post 90 Years Strong: Protecting Social Security’s Legacy and Future appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Seniors sometimes choose to stop driving on their own, but others understandably hold onto the freedom for as long as they can. In those situations, seniors and family members face difficult conversations and tough revelations.

Seniors often cut back on their driving in stages. For example, they acknowledge a need to stop driving at night, or take only short, familiar trips. However, when the day comes that one’s driver’s license is taken away completely, it will most likely be an emotional one. They may be overcome with feelings of failure, dependency, confusion, and blame.

Still in the decision to encourage a senior to stop driving is ultimately one of safety. Eye problems like Macular Degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and the eye strain associated with aging are all common reasons why people stop driving. It is just as important to keep in mind though, that hearing, memory and motion problems can lead to unsafe driving as well. Two common early warning signs of decreased driving ability are slower reaction time, and greater anxiety over driving. Seniors and their loved ones should monitor their driving habits when dealing with such medical issues. Some medications and medicine combinations can also make driving more dangerous.

It is never easy to help a loved one deal with the loss of driving in her or his life. The following are some general rules you can follow to ease the transition, and provide the greatest level of support possible:

• Treat the loss of a license as a true loss. Downplaying the impact of losing a license will not help the senior in your life feel better about it. Listen and show emotional support, rather than trying to cheer them up.
• Make yourself available. Some seniors resist offers of transportation because they don’t want to be a burden. However, you can include your loved one in a way that is more comfortable. For example, when you are doing your own grocery shopping, invite them to do theirs at the same time.
• Strengthen the social circle. Losing a driver’s license can be a blow to a person’s social life. Seniors without driver’s license may feel isolated. Check in often, and encourage your other loved one to do the same.
• Familiarize yourself with public transportation. Depending on where person lives, public transportation can be a fantastic alternative to driving, or can seem daunting and inconvenient. Learn about the options available to seniors in your area, such as Dial-A-Ride, and seniors discounts on buses and trains. Don’t expect the senior in your life to warm up to these options automatically.

Try to remember that trying something new can be scary.

This article was provided by Warm Beach Senior Community.
For more information about Warm Beach Senior Community call Laura Perkins at  360-652-4591 or Sheila Bartlett, Director of Independent Living at 360-652-2645.

The post The Decision to Give Up Driving appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Scam artists have a shiny, new tool to take your hard-earned money, and while the nature of the scam remains consistent – often preying on our emotions or manufacturing a sense of urgency – the method of getting your money is evolving with technology.  Instead of purchasing gift cards or transferring money through wire services, the use of crypto ATMs is on the rise, and they are popping up at convenience stores, gas stations and other high-traffic areas in your community.

Recent data from the Federal Trade Commission paints a troubling picture, indicating that scammers have successfully convinced individuals to deposit over $65 million into crypto ATMs in the first half of 2024 alone. Alarmingly, older adults have emerged as primary targets, with reports suggesting they are more than three times more likely than younger individuals to be targeted for such scams.

Why are crypto ATMs the new kid on the block when it comes to fraud?  For one, the kiosks quickly move your cash into tough-to-trace cryptocurrency accounts owned by criminals. Also, they are largely unregulated.  Unlike banks, which offer some protection, the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies means that if you get scammed, it’s very hard to get your money back. This lack of consumer protection is a major concern.

As we look toward the 2025 legislative session, one of the top priorities for AARP is to advocate for the passage of legislation aimed at imposing essential safeguards around the operation of these ATMs to bolster consumer protection. While Washington does require licensing for crypto ATMs and some signage warning about scams, our state does not have an overseeing agency to regulate or enforce rules.

The proposed legislation aims to introduce a number of consumer protections, like establishing a daily transaction limit to prevent large sums of money from being withdrawn or deposited in a single day and requiring mandatory scam warnings displayed on the machines to alert users to the risks involved. Transparency regarding fees associated with transactions would also be enhanced, allowing consumers to make informed decisions before proceeding with a transaction.

Furthermore, the legislation advocates for the identification of a regulatory body that would be responsible for monitoring the operations of crypto ATMs. This agency would oversee the licensing process, conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance with state regulations, and enforce existing rules to deter fraudulent activities. By implementing these measures, we can make it harder for criminals to exploit these machines and help keep your hard-earned money safe.

In addition to state oversight, you can help protect yourself by remaining vigilant. A request to pay money via a crypto ATM is a red flag that you may have stumbled into a scam. Legitimate businesses and government agencies don’t take payment through crypto ATMs.

If you spot or have experienced a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. The more information they have, the better they can identify patterns, link cases and ultimately catch the criminals.

You can also contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877-908-3360, a free resource; to speak with trained fraud specialists who provide support and guidance on what to do next and how to avoid scams.

The post Crypto ATMs: Regulating the Unregulated appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Every day, about 38 million people nationwide perform a great labor of love as a family caregiver: caring for parents, spouses, adult children with disabilities, friends, and other loved ones. Caring for a family member or close friend is one of the most important roles we are likely to play in our lifetime. However, the emotional and physical tolls of caregiving can be profound.

Higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression are common among those who care for an older relative or friend, and studies show caregivers who experience chronic stress may be at a greater risk of experiencing their own cognitive and physical decline.

To help support caregivers take care of their own health and well-being, AARP Washington, BECU, and KING 5 invite you to a free event on March 19 with NBC News/MSNBC Anchor Richard Lui and Dr. Kate Zhong, a geriatric psychiatrist and founder of the Brainnovation Initiative at UNLV.

Hear about Richard’s own caregiving experience as he took time away from his TV job to care for his father as he lived with Alzheimer’s, as seen in the new movie “UNCONDITIONAL” screened at the White House, United Nations, and U.S. Capitol. We’ll explore how others can prepare themselves for caregiving, and examine what roles gender stereotypes, technology, family conflict, and more play in how we care for our loved ones.

Dr. Zhong will help us recognize how caregiving can impact our own mental health, and provide tips and tools for how caregivers can boost their brain health and reduce the risk of memory loss.

The host of KING 5’s Evening, Jim Dever, will moderate a discussion with a chance for you to ask questions of our presenters. Information about local community resources and services will also be available.

The event will be held from 7:30-9:00 pm at Town Hall Seattle (1119 8^th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101). Doors open at 6:00 pm and light refreshments will be served. Register at aarp.org or by phone at 1-877-926-8300.