Caregiver PortalApply NowHours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm206.352.7399

Our Blog

Something amazing happened this year....Seattle became the first city in the nation to launch dementia friendly programming through Parks and Recreation.  Marigrace Becker, who advocated for and conceptualized the program, explained to The Seattle Channel, "Seattle itself is very progressive when it comes to thinking about dementia. I just figured...it must be everywhere throughout the nation...I'm hoping to inspire other Parks and Recreation departments." Based on the early success of dementia friendly recreation programming other cities are sure to be impressed.
12 April, 2015
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="111"]Gale-pic-3-cropped-and-edited1 Gale Wald[/caption] Boarding a flight today is complex-- long security lines and two hour check-ins. It’s a challenging atmosphere for people with early stage dementia or major health problems, explained Senior Transitions owner, Gale Wald. Wald, an RN and practicing flight attendant, provides travel companionship and trip coordination services to seniors and their families. “You don’t have to do this alone,” she says with confident assurance. Her company, Senior Transitions, is based in the Pacific Northwest.  Her services provide door to door flight companionship which may also include aspects of trip planning: ticket purchase,  food, transportation, health clearance, luggage check-in, or travel insurance. Travel companions are skilled at managing in-air emergencies or troubleshooting flight delays and cancellations.  Air Travel companions arrange quick trips through TSA security and know how to bypass pat downs.  Awaiting families or friends receive trip updates as desired. "With detailed sensitivity to personal needs such as frequent toileting, help through confusing customs and security checks, lunch at the favourite spot, always mindful of his physical stamina and comfort, Gale has facilitated the ‘quality of life choice to travel’ for my father," writes one of Senior Transition's satisfied clients.
17 March, 2015
In February we celebrate our hearts and sweethearts! We all know Valentines day and, increasingly, word is getting out about National Wear Red Day for Women on the 6th. In fact the whole month is devoted to lifting awareness about our hearts. Our discussions about: heart health, heart-felt feelings, heart healthy foods, and heart risks this month are all about the actions we need to take in life to balance the needs of our hearts with the demands of our day. Whether it's remembering the roses or picking up heart healthy foods for dinner February reminds us to nurture everything that makes our heart beat. Why is an entire month devoted to lifting awareness about heart health and heart risks? Because stroke and heart attack is the number one killer of American men and women. More people are dying of heart disease today than of all types of cancer. 1 in 4 people die from heart disease every year and over half a million will experience their first heart attack by year's end.  That's why the Million Hearts Initiative was launched in 2011 with a goal to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. But the fact is that neither government initiatives nor your doctor can prevent heart disease. Your heart and your life choices are yours. In the video below a 55 year old woman explains how she realized the connection between her life problems and the care of her heart and decided to make a change.
05 February, 2015
[caption id="attachment_1906" align="aligncenter" width="437"]The Twelfies! The Twelfies---office staff at With A Little Help. Go Seniors! Go Hawks![/caption] At With A Little Help (WALH) we're 12th men for our clients and families all year round.  Thank you for trusting our home care agency to support your loved ones.  Seahawks, thanks for bringing this city together and taking us on a fabulous ride...two Super Bowls back to back and thrilling plays. You've energized this city and taught our somewhat reserved culture how to experience unabashed civic pride. You've taught us to believe in sports miracles. Steve Raible's : "Oh My Word" call on the one yard line expressed the shock fans felt at the sudden turn of events that, this time, meant a stunning loss. Fans and the sports world are in disbelief today but we know that ends eventually lead to new beginnings and we're hopeful for growth in the new season.
30 January, 2015
awareness_logoWhen your insurance lacks vision care it's not unusual to skip regular eye exams but, if you're over 40,--please think twice.  Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, is diagnosed in and prevented through routine eye exams. Outside of an exam, early warning symptoms are generally unnoticeable. Estimates suggest that 2.7 million Americans have glaucoma but only half realize it!  Do you know if you have glaucoma?
19 January, 2015
As we enter 2015, thousands of people in Seattle will be setting New Year's Resolutions. Yet just over 10% will realize their goals.  Maybe you've set a resolution to focus on fitness, lose weight, spend more time with family and friends, or get better organized? Maybe you've come to this website because you've realized that your partner or parent needs professional caregiving support and your goal is to meet those needs?  Perhaps you strive to create more time for yourself? Whatever goal or objective brought you to this blog is important! No matter how complex or simple your resolution, no matter how confident or overwhelmed you feel about your goal, 5 steps can help you improve the outcome of your pursuit in the months to come.
10 January, 2015
[caption id="attachment_1860" align="alignleft" width="204"]Liz Mulligan Liz Mulligan[/caption] Liz Mulligan first witnessed elder fraud while working with a client of With A Little Help. Since tracking down over $200,000 stolen by the client's bookkeeper she's gone on to establish a full time fraud fighting business: Fraud Resolution for seniors, LLC. "I was so gratified to help someone straighten out finances," she said reflecting on that first experience. Liz sat down with us to talk about the most frequent fraud problem she sees and to share thoughts on how to protect the elders in your life from financial harm. Charitable holidays bring out our urge to help. Sensational fraud cases make headline news but the dishonest nickel and dime charities that appeal to our giving spirit are the most frequent fraud problem facing elders. Many elders or casual donors don't track these small contributions nor do they research the charities they benefit and that's what small time fraudulent operators count on! "One year a client donated $9,000 in $10 and $15 dollar donations," Mulligan recalled. 
20 December, 2014
pfapWherever America devotes resources miraculous breakthroughs are possible. We're celebrating great strides made in fighting Breast, Prostate, and Colon cancers, for instance, with tests for early intervention and increasingly effective drugs. Those advances are the result of research and continuous funding.  This month hopes ride high that pancreatic cancer awareness will translate into more research for drugs or diagnostics to improve survivability from this ruthless killer well on it's way to becoming the second leading cause of cancer deaths by 2020.
30 November, 2014
In early December friends and coworkers of Kate Lounsbury gathered on the Bainbridge Island Ferry to remember and celebrate her life. The Bainbridge ferry paused briefly as friends released Kate’s ashes.  Kate battled large B Cell Lymphoma for several months before exercising her right to Death With Dignity under Washington’s 2008 law. With assistance from Compassion and Choices, she died peacefully at home among friends on October 26, 2013.
02 November, 2014
[caption id="attachment_1735" align="alignleft" width="229"]Kate, second from left, with friends from the dance world Kate, second from left, with friends from the dance world[/caption] Last October before our coworker Kate Lounsbury died of lymphoma she asked this blogger to write about her choice to use Washington’s Death With Dignity law to acquire legal aid in dying. Kate hoped it would promote wider public understanding. Before writing, I spoke with coworkers and friends and asked for their perspectives on Death With Dignity. Many had voted for Initiative 1000 which established the law with a 58.6% margin in 2008. All said they’d vote the same way again today. That was clear. But some expressed conflict about the actual act it legalized---aid in dying. Would I make that choice? they wondered aloud. How would I feel when someone I loved made that choice?! I think many people experience similarly unsettled emotions. Some are conflicted or opposed ideologically or because of religious faith. Complicating our feelings is the fact that death is rarely discussed in our culture and is hard to imagine. In that, Kate’s view differed from us all. She didn’t have comfortable distance from imminent death. She knew her life would end-- painfully-- and, understanding that, she was unwavering in her determination to choose the manner in which she left this world and her beloved friends behind.
02 November, 2014