U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes Older Americans Month

            WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington will host two Senior Awareness Events featuring fitness workshops, exercise classes and public safety seminars on May 23, 2019, and May 28, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.to recognize Older Americans Month.

            These events will highlight the importance of exercise and lifestyle changes and encourage seniors to be active. Valuable information on fitness, drug prevention, financial fraud, and healthy eating will be provided. Seniors will also have the opportunity to participate in several fitness workshops led by YMCA Fit & Well instructors and safety seminars hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            The Administration for Community Living (ACL) was created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2012 around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities. ACL brings together the efforts and achievements of the Administration on Aging (AoA), the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD), and the HHS Office on Disability to serve as the Federal agency responsible for increasing access to community supports, while focusing attention and resources on the unique needs of older Americans and people with disabilities across the lifespan.

            ACL leads our nation’s observance of Older Americans Month every May. This year’s theme, Connect, Create, Contribute, encourages older adults and their communities to connect with friends, family, and services that support participation; create by engaging in activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment; and contribute time, talent, and life experience to benefit others. “May is a time for us to celebrate the wonderful contributions given by so many older Washingtonians,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu. “We recognize that older adults play a key role in the vitality of our neighborhoods, networks, and lives and we hope that these types of events encourage them to take advantage of resources and social programs available throughout their communities.”

            The May 23, 2019, event will be at the Hattie Holmes Wellness Center located at 324 Kennedy Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20011. The event on May 28, 2019, will be at the Barry Farms Recreation Center located at 1230 Sumner Road, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20020. There will be a continental breakfast, guest speakers, and giveaways. Both events are free and open to all seniors.

            These events are part of the Office’s wider efforts to combat crimes against seniors. In 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia launched an Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative to expand its response to criminal and civil violations targeting older adults. The initiative has enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to further develop and coordinate its prosecution of these cases and enhance its overall support of older victims. The team consists of experienced prosecutors and victim advocates from across the Office, to include the Superior Court, Criminal, and Civil Divisions as well as the Victim Witness Assistance Unit.