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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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'' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? 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She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.
At 101, she has no plans to leave.
Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”
Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.
“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.
It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.
AARP Washington is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.
Leaving food on the table
Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as Meals on Wheels.
SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.
Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.
Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.
Tapping charity care law
Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.
And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.
But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.
In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people.
Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.
For more on benefits and financial assistance programs
This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the AARP Washington page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.
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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1]Code Context$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = falseinclude - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer.html"); ?>
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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has" name="description"/> <meta content="Benefits, Boost, Learn, How, Find, Extra, Aid" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid-wa-2024-04-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has" name="description"/> <meta content="Benefits, Boost, Learn, How, Find, Extra, Aid" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid-wa-2024-04-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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--primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/olympia-wa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Olympia, WA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/olympia-wa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBD
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has" name="description"/> <meta content="Benefits, Boost, Learn, How, Find, Extra, Aid" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid-wa-2024-04-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has" name="description"/> <meta content="Benefits, Boost, Learn, How, Find, Extra, Aid" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid-wa-2024-04-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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--primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/olympia-wa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Olympia, WA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/olympia-wa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");
$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has" name="description"/> <meta content="Benefits, Boost, Learn, How, Find, Extra, Aid" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid-wa-2024-04-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has" name="description"/> <meta content="Benefits, Boost, Learn, How, Find, Extra, Aid" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/benefits-boost-learn-how-to-find-extra-aid-wa-2024-04-07.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta property="og:description" content="AARP is working to educate members about benefits that are too often overlooked, such as property tax credits. "/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }', 'title_for_layout' => '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/07/24 by <b>Kathy Jesse</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. She and her late husband raised their two children there. It’s near her church. It has a garden she tends to each summer.<br><br>At 101, she has no plans to leave.<br><br>Her ability to stay is helped by Washington’s senior property tax exemption, which last year cut her tax bill from $7,000 to $2,200. “It has helped me a lot,” Charles says. “If I didn’t have it, I would have to let a lot of things go.”<br><br>Other Washingtonians take advantage of the credit — but plenty don’t. It’s one of several programs offering benefits to older residents that many don’t use.<br><br>“There is no more under-utilized program in Washington state than the tax exemption,” says King County Assessor John Wilson. He says about 23,000 households in his county use it, while 25,000 to 30,000 potentially eligible homeowners don’t. It could save those 61 or older — as well as certain people with disabilities — thousands of dollars a year.<br><br>It’s not just tax credits that gather dust. A law to help with hospital costs is often ignored, and programs that provide older residents with food go untapped. The reasons are many, including changing requirements and the low visibility of the assistance.<br><br><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/washington/?cmp=RDRCT-ICM-WELCOMEKIT-STATES-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AARP Washington</a></span></span> is working to educate members about such benefits — and how to access them.<br><br><b>Leaving food on the table</b><br><br>Older residents could be eligible for food assistance, from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps people of all ages buy groceries, to programs that provide hot meals at community sites and food pantries, to home-delivery options such as <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://give.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/page/63915/donate/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meals on Wheels.</a></span></span><br><br>SNAP recipients must meet income guidelines, but other food programs may only require that people be over 60.<br><br>Laura Cepoi, executive director of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which serves four rural counties in western Washington, has seen increased use of food programs in recent years, due in part to the end of pandemic-fueled emergency SNAP benefits, as well as rising food costs.<br><br>Yet she estimates only half the people in her region who qualify actually participate. She cites stigma, administrative hurdles and lack of outreach as factors for this. Overcoming such barriers is vital, she says.<br><br><b>Tapping charity care law</b><br><br>Residents may also qualify for discounts with hospital bills. That’s due to a law that requires hospitals to provide financial assistance to eligible patients and notify them that this help exists — regardless of age, insurance status or citizenship.<br><br>And under a 2022 expansion of the law, people making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify for discounts in certain large hospitals. Overall, the state says about half of Washingtonians qualify for free or reduced-cost care.<br><br>But there’s evidence patients haven’t gotten the relief due them.<br><br>In February, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) settled with the Providence health system for what his office said was “aggressively collecting money from low-income Washingtonians without determining if they qualified for financial assistance.” Providence must provide $157.8 million in debt forgiveness and refunds to nearly 100,000 people. <br><br><i>Kathy Jesse is a freelance writer in Montgomery County, Maryland.</i><br></p><div class="Enhancement" > <div class="Enhancement-item"><span class="VideoEnhancement" data-video-disable-history data-embeddedvideo-container> <div class="VideoEnhancement-player"><bsp-brightcoveplayer data-video-player class="BrightcoveVideoPlayer" data-account="3772599298001" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-video-title="The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022" > <video class="video-js" id="BrightcoveVideoPlayer-6297685253001" data-video-id="6297685253001" data-account="" data-player="KM9xJAJa4" data-embed="default" controls ></video> </bsp-brightcoveplayer> </div> <div class="VideoEnhancement-title">The AARP Minute: February 15, 2022</div> </span> </div> </div><p><b>For more on benefits and financial assistance programs</b><br></p><ul><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2024/aarp-property-tax-aide-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get Help from Property Tax-Aide</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/prevention-wellness/boosting-snap-participation-among-older-adults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boosting SNAP Participation Among Older Adults to Reduce Food Insecurity</a></span></span></li><li><span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2022/supermarket-senior-discounts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">14 Food Stores That Give Seniors A Discount</a></span></span></li></ul></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> <p><i>This story is provided by AARP Washington. Visit the <a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank">AARP Washington</a> page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.</i></p> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2646ed0-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr66da9f2647dd4-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?> <style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style>', 'css' => '.recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px} .recommenadationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:rgb(221,18,0); font-size:12px} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px} ', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><style type="text/css"> .recommenationSection {font-family: Lato, sans-serif} .recommendationSection h3 {font-size:30px!important; text-transform:none; letter-spacing:0.03em} .recommendationSection .js-mvc-offer-recommended-article-pack-category {color:#dd1200; font-family:Lato, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:700; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0} .recommendationSection h4 a {color:#121212; font-size:20px; font-weight:700} .recommendationSection .uxdia-c-featured-tile__content-wrapper {padding: 0 0 .5em 0; margin-bottom: 1.25em; border-bottom: 1px solid #000} </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-OLYMPIA-WA">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Washington Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />Washington</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:WAAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">WAAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/washington/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Washington</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/welcome-to-aarp-washington/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-OLYMPIA-WA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPWA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarpwa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Benefits Boost: Learn How to Find Extra Aid"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Lou Annie Charles has lived in her Seattle home for nearly 70 years. 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"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ddcf49d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2700+0+20/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2F40%2F02%2F899c9adda5bec2244f3237607152%2Fproperty-tax-istock-000001893657large.jpg"/> :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $title_for_layout = '{local_city_c}, {local_state} Happenings - AARP' $asset_version = '230831' $min = true $nowrapper = false $css = ' :root { --primaryColor: #ff1e3c; --primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/olympia-wa/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Olympia, WA</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/olympia-wa/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/olympia-wa/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/olympia-wa/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118