Washington State continues to face a growing caregiver crisis, placing immense strain on families, older adults, and people with disabilities who depend on in-home and long-term care. As the demand for care rises and workforce shortages persist, local organizations are stepping in to help families access affordable care options and support individuals interested in caregiving careers.
In response to this urgent need, Mt. Si Senior Center is hosting a series of free community presentations designed to help residents navigate care options and learn about becoming paid caregivers. These presentations are offered in partnership with Carina, a nonprofit organization that connects families with qualified, vetted in-home care providers and helps care providers find quality care jobs at no cost.
Washington is home to more than 1.3 million unpaid family caregivers, many of whom report financial strain, emotional stress, and difficulty accessing reliable support. At the same time, thousands of individuals who need care struggle to find available, affordable providers, especially in rural and underserved areas.
“Caregivers are essential to the health and stability of our community,” said Susan Kingsbury-Comeau, Executive Director of Mt. Si Senior Center. “These presentations are about empowering families with information and opening doors for people who want to become caregivers but don’t know where to start. The only way we will begin to tackle the problem of caregiving in our community is if we grow our own local workforce.”
Free Community Presentations
Mt. Si Senior Center will offer three in-person presentations focused on both sides of the caregiving equation — finding care and becoming a caregiver:
Learn How to Find In-Home Care Providers
- January 27 | 11:00 AM — Sno-Ridge Apartments, 401 Stow Ave S, North Bend
- January 27 | 1:00 PM — Mt. Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave S, North Bend
Learn How to Become an Individual Provider (Paid Caregiver)
- January 27 | 4:00 PM — Mt. Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave S, North Bend
Participants will learn how Carina helps match families with trusted care providers, explain the process of hiring in-home support, and support individuals interested in becoming Individual Providers (IP): paid caregivers who work directly with clients.
The economic value of unpaid caregiving in Washington is estimated at nearly $17 billion annually, yet many caregivers receive little training, financial support, or respite. Expanding access to information and workforce pathways is a critical step toward stabilizing care systems statewide.
These information sessions are part of the senior center’s work to address the local caregiver shortage by developing a local caregiver workforce, providing resources and support to unpaid family caregivers, and assisting care-seekers. Other efforts include the center’s collaboration with Eastside Friends of Seniors and a recently signed affiliate agreement with Old Friends Club.
Call to Action
Community members, families, and anyone interested in caregiving are encouraged to attend one of the free presentations. Local leaders and policymakers are urged to continue investing in caregiver wages, training, and support services to ensure sustainable, high-quality care for Washington residents.
About Mt. Si Senior Center
Mt. Si Senior Center is an independent non-profit senior center that empowers and supports community members throughout the Snoqualmie Valley through holistic services, including wellness, lifelong learning, social connection, transportation, senior housing, and advocacy, collaborating with partners to ensure everyone can successfully thrive as they age.
About Carina
Carina is a nonprofit organization that connects families with qualified in-home care providers and helps caregivers find good care jobs at no cost to families or workers.
[Information provided by the Mt. Si Senior Center]
