Most of us will need help to live independently at some point in our lives. For some, this will be temporary after an accident or illness. For others, the need will strike late in life. In both cases, this is known as long-term care. Learn more about what long-term care is and how to plan for it.
The last thing you want people thinking about in their golden years is money. WA Cares is a really unique program – to know that as you get older, you’re still cared for and you’re still valuable.
If KD’s mother-in-law had WA Cares, she could use her benefit for: Paid family caregiver Home safety evaluation Care respite servicesI’d never really seen anyone my age need long-term care until it happened to me. Life happens to all of us. At any point in time, you could experience a serious illness or an injury or a traumatic event.
If Dani had WA Cares, she could use her benefit for: In-home care Wheelchair TransportationWe want her to be safe, happy and content. But we haven’t been working during this time, so we have zero income. A resource like WA Cares would be so helpful in easing that financial aspect.
If Sun-Hee & Yunhee’s mom had WA Cares, she could use her benefit for: Paid family caregiver Meal preparation Medication reminder deviceWA Cares Fund gives you flexibility to choose whatever combination of covered services and supports best meets your care needs. Most people will choose benefits that enable them to remain in their own home. Learn more about benefit coverage.
Address the need7 in 10 Washingtonians will need care services and support as they age, but long-term care is not only for older people. Some of us will have accidents or illnesses that require care at some point in our lives.
Support for familiesFamily caregivers who reduce hours or leave the workforce can lose income as well as health and retirement benefits. WA Cares gives families resources that can reduce the burden.
Keep your savingsBefore WA Cares, in order to pay for long-term care, people had to spend down their life savings to qualify for Medicaid.
Peace of mindBy contributing a small amount from each paycheck while we're working, we can rest assured that long-term care benefits will be there to help us when we need them.
WA Cares Fund is the result of years of research on how to make care accessible for all workers in Washington. As a public long-term care insurance program, WA Cares guarantees coverage for all workers regardless of pre-existing conditions. Washington is the first state in the nation to create an affordable way for the broad middle class to access long-term care without having to spend down their life savings.
WA Cares Fund is managed by Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, in collaboration with Washington State Health Care Authority and the Employment Security Department.
