Older adult services
We fund a network of programs at senior centers and other community organizations that reach and connect seniors and their caregivers to community services throughout King County to promote healthy, financially stable, and socially engaged lives.
Investments made through the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) look to provide King County’s seniors with a robust range of services that aim to promote physical and emotional health and well-being, reduce isolation, foster connection to community, and provide a range of culturally appropriate services. Investments include supporting senior centers, health promotion programs, virtual villages, mental health counseling, caregiver supports, and more.
King County Senior Center Network
A connected network of VSHSL-funded senior centers provide unique support, outreach, connection, and activities for older adults throughout King County.
Area Agency on Aging
Responsibility for coordinating Federal and State funding for older adult services rests with the federally-designated Area Agencies on Aging. Through a partnership agreement between King County and the City of Seattle, the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department, Aging and Disability Services Division (ADS) is designated by the State of Washington as the Area Agency on Aging for all of King County.
Community Living Connections
Older adults, adults with disabilities, caregivers, family members and professionals can call Community Living Connections to get objective, confidential information about resources and service options: 1-844-348-5464.
VSHSL investments to support seniors and their caregivers include:
Support Senior Centers
This investment provides foundational support to a robust number of Senior Centers and establishes the King County Senior Center Network. Funded Senior Centers will be well positioned to be inclusive, vibrant gathering spaces for Seniors and their caregivers.
Senior Villages
This investment funds the ongoing development and operations of geographically based or culturally affiliated Senior Villages to support diverse and low-income seniors to age well in their communities of choice and remain stably housed.
Senior Health Promotion
This investment funds Senior Health Promotion Programs that make improvements in the health and well-being of King County Seniors. Programs may address falls prevention, nutrition, physical activity, chronic disease management, health education, and more.
Caregiver Connections and Support
These programs support family caregivers of seniors and persons with disabilities to decrease family caregivers’ isolation, burden, and stress by increasing access to services, improving their skills and understanding, and promoting community connections and wellbeing. Programs intend to support caregivers so they can sustain their caregiver roles and support Seniors and Adults with Disabilities to live healthy and independent lives.
Kinship Care Supports
These programs support seniors who provide kinship care, when a child lives full-time or most of the time with a relative or friend who is not their parent, in order to help those kinship providers to have access to support that helps to sustain them.
Geriatric Regional Assessment Team
This investment supports a home-visiting team of behavioral health and human services intervention experts who assess and connect seniors to crisis response services or other human services that can help seniors remain in their communities, and to prevent avoidable institutionalization or harm to themselves or others.
Elder Abuse Multi-Disciplinary Team
This program brings together a multi-disciplinary team of professionals from across agencies and disciplines to improve King County's response to cases of elder and vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation by coordinating investigations, providing consultations, making referrals, and offering needed resources to provide meaningful and improved outcomes for victims.
Mobile Meal Delivery for Seniors
This investment supports mobile meal and grocery delivery services to provide food support to seniors, including support for food banks or farmer's market programs.