11/10/2022
At a combined flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster clinic today, the Pennsylvania Departments of Aging and Health, joined by Sen. Art Haywood and Philadelphia city leaders, stressed the importance of older adults getting their immunizations, particularly with the cold and influenza (flu) season approaching and the ongoing threat of COVID-19's highly transmissible variants.
11/03/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today hosted the 2022 Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) Virtual Forum to provide education and assess progress on issues related to ADRD, strengthen partnerships and community support, identify how healthcare systems can work collaboratively on these issues within their communities, and discuss opportunities to help advance Pennsylvania’s State Plan on ADRD.
10/25/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) today announced that registration is open for its 2022 Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) Virtual Forum on Thursday, November 3, which will highlight the commonwealth's ADRD best practices. Pennsylvanians living with ADRD, their families, caregivers, stakeholders, and advocates are encouraged to participate.
10/12/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today announced that 621 participants from 27 states and Washington D.C. in the continental U.S., and St. Croix, Guam, and parts of Canada, attended its virtual LGBTQ Aging Summit and Institute on HIV and Aging on October 6 and October 7.
10/03/2022
“We commend and support the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts on the development of the Academy for Creative Aging. This online platform will extend the reach and opportunities for more individuals and communities to participate in activities that benefit and enrich the lives of older adults,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres.
09/29/2022
El Secretario del Departamento de Envejecimiento de Pensilvania, Robert Torres, anunció hoy el lanzamiento de la versión en español de los Beneficios y Derechos para los Adultos Mayores de Pensilvania de 2022, la guía principal de información, servicios y recursos que ayuda a satisfacer las necesidades de los adultos mayores.
09/27/2022
Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres today announced the release of the Spanish-language version of the 2022 Benefits and Rights for Older Pennsylvanians, the commonwealth’s premier guide for information, services and resources that helps to support the needs of older adults.
09/22/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) today reminded consumers that the annual open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries will begin October 15 and end December 7. Any new coverage selected or changes to existing benefits will take effect January 1, 2023.
09/14/2022
In early 2021, Pennsylvania was at risk of having its approved caseload for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program—now more favorably coined as the Senior Food Box Program—decreased as the program was underutilized by Pennsylvania’s eligible population of older adults. More than 300,000 Pennsylvanians are eligible to receive food through the program, but as of May 2021 only 28,000 were taking advantage of the opportunity.
09/13/2022
Today, leadership from multiple state agencies joined advocates from Prevent Suicide PA to recognize September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and raise awareness around work to embed suicide prevention efforts across systems.
09/13/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging today announced registration is now open for its virtual LGBTQ Aging Summit and Institute on HIV and Aging, which will take place Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7. All LGBTQ older adults, stakeholders, aging service providers, advocates and allies are encouraged to attend.
08/26/2022
The Department of Aging today announced the launch of a statewide media campaign to build greater awareness and utilization of the PA Link to Aging and Disability Resources, also known as the PA Link.
08/17/2022
Continuing its work to address and prevent one of the fastest growing forms of elder abuse, the Department of Aging announced the formation of a dedicated investigative unit to support Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) in probing complex financial exploitation cases and obtaining justice for older Pennsylvanians.
08/08/2022
In preparation for the expiration of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and the Major Disaster Declaration (MDD) by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Pennsylvania Department of Aging is recommending that the federal government advocate for certain service and funding flexibilities at the local level, such as meal service programming at senior community centers, to remain in place permanently.
07/20/2022
As the summer continues to usher in hot temperatures with high humidity, the departments of Aging and Health are urging all Pennsylvanians but especially older adults to take steps to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from potentially deadly heat-related illnesses. Seniors may be less able to respond to extreme temperatures and taking certain medication can affect how a person's body reacts to heat.
07/15/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A), announced that a $230,000 grant has been awarded for the expansion of the Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO) project across the commonwealth.
06/21/2022
At the PA Open Air Farmers Market at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg today, Wolf Administration officials reminded Pennsylvania’s low-income seniors and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program recipients to obtain and use their vouchers from the Pennsylvania Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) to purchase fresh and local fruits, vegetables, and herbs from FMNP-approved farmers at farmers markets and farm stands across the commonwealth.
06/17/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) has received The Founders' Award for LGBTQ Health Equity from the Elder Initiative at William Way LGBT Community Center for its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in its outreach and service delivery to LGBTQ older adults. The organization presented the award to Secretary Robert Torres during A Cause for Applause – an annual benefit for the Elder Initiative at William Way on June 9.
06/15/2022
As part of its ongoing efforts to prevent elder abuse, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) has announced the launch of two new online resources: a new webpage focused on the growing problem of financial exploitation of older adults, and an elder abuse awareness web-based training module.
06/15/2022
Leadership from the departments of Aging, Agriculture, and Human Services today joined Feeding Pennsylvania, Hunger Free PA, Just Harvest, and other anti-hunger advocates to highlight proposed investments in the minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit for seniors and people with disabilities in Governor Tom Wolf’s 2022-23 proposed budget.
06/15/2022
The Department of Banking and Securities, Department of Aging, and Insurance Department issued a joint letter to leaders in the U.S. Senate and Pennsylvania senators urging passage of legislation focused on protecting senior citizens.
06/13/2022
The deadline for older and disabled Pennsylvanians to apply for rebates on rent and property taxes paid in 2021 has been extended from June 30 to Dec. 31, 2022, the departments of Revenue and Aging announced today.
06/03/2022
Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres and Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead were joined by Rep. Patty Kim and community leaders today to echo Governor Tom Wolf’s call for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to immediately use a portion of the $1.7 billion in unspent American Rescue Plan Act dollars to help older adults and individuals with disabilities through property tax and rent rebates to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
05/26/2022
Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres today announced the release of the 2022 Benefits and Rights for Older Pennsylvanians, the commonwealth’s premier guide for information and resources serving older adults on the state and local levels.
05/20/2022
Governor Tom Wolf will honor Stephanie Cole, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Aging, with a Governor’s Award for Excellence for going above and beyond in her duties to serve older adults in the commonwealth. She created a program that brings together Pennsylvania undergraduate and graduate students and older adults who are receiving services from the Department of Aging. Cole will be among 50 employees from 12 agencies to receive the awards during a ceremony on May 20 for extraordinary accomplishments in 2021.
05/16/2022
The Pennsylvania Departments of Aging and Human Services joined the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A) on the fifth Annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day to spotlight the mental health services needs of an often overlooked, underserved population: older adults.
04/29/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) was joined by students and faculty from Penn State Scranton along with older adults today to announce the expansion of the department’s Intergenerational University Connections Program.
04/29/2022
– Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres was joined by Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski and community leaders today to echo Governor Tom Wolf’s call for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to immediately use a portion of the $1.7 billion in unspent American Rescue Plan Act dollars to help older adults and individuals with disabilities through property tax and rent rebates to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.