Chances are, if you aren’t a family caregiver, you know someone who is. Every day, more than 820,000 Washingtonians help their loved ones live independently at home. November is National Family Caregiver Month, and while many are impacted by the caregiving needs of families and loved ones, women in particular shoulder quite a bit of the burden. “With all my girlfriends, caregiving is one of our top topics that we cover,” said AARP State Director Marguerite Ro. “Seventy-five percent of women work today, so what that means is even more and more women are having to balance their careers, managing their families and also taking care of themselves.” Women often have to take time off work to care for loved ones, and it can be difficult to manage the necessary systems and paperwork. “All of us are just one serious accident away, if you have elderly parents or you have elderly members of your family, from becoming a caregiver,” said Leslie Emerick, public policy director for the Home Care Association of Washington. “Sometimes it can be quite a shock.” When Emerick’s mom fell and was seriously injured, her family had to work together to provide housing and care. “It took literally months to get all of the systems in place where I could go back to work and not have to be there every day to help take care of her,” Emerick said. Home care has been beneficial for Emerick’s mom. The care team is able to assist her with activities of daily living, allowing her to stay home and live independently. The WA Cares Fund provides working Washingtonians a way to earn access to long-term care benefits that will be available when they need it and can help with a variety of expenses. “They can use that to reimburse family caregivers,” Ro said. “They can use it to help modify their home. It’s really thinking ahead and really provides some of that support, especially at the beginning.” Seeking support, including utilizing resources and talking with other caregivers, can help prevent caregiver burnout. For more information, tips and resources for family caregivers visit AARP’s website. Sponsored by AARP Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.