In 2017, the Local Office on Aging, in conjunction with many like-minded organizations throughout the Fifth Planning District of Virginia, formed the Elder Justice Alliance. The alliance meets monthly to address elder abuse issues that are in danger of falling through the cracks.
The Elder Justice Alliance is a community-based team of organizations and individuals committed to using education, collaboration, and coordination of community resources and services to address abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of those age 60 or older. The vision of the Alliance is to:
- collaborate with other Alliance partners, and non-partners who contribute to the fulfillment of our mission; and
- educate, enhance, and utilize community-based resources and services to advance the protection of our elderly population from abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, including financial and otherwise.
“Singularly, our team of agencies within the alliance are limited in what they can do to assist a victim of elder abuse which often means the victim’s needs go unmet,” said LOA CEO Ron Boyd. “The formation of this alliance provides a good foundation to completely meet the needs of an elder abuse victim in our service area.”
With the EJA, members are familiar with the services others in the community can offer to assist older adults and have a better understanding of who to contact or refer an older adult to for appropriate assistance
The Alliance is comprised of over 40 partners including Local Office on Aging, Departments of Social Services, Adult Protective Services, Elder Law Attorneys, Office of Attorney General, Law Enforcement, Commonwealth Attorneys, Blue Ridge Behavioral Health, Mental Health America, Family Service of Roanoke Valley, Alzheimer’s Association, Forensic Accounting, Health Care providers, Guardians and various other Human Services & Government Agencies.