SeniorLAW Center

As we close out Pride Month, SeniorLAW Center honors the trailblazers whose courage and advocacy in their older years advanced justice for the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S.

From Edith Windsor, whose landmark Supreme Court case paved the way for federal recognition of same-sex marriage, to Deborah A. Batts, the first openly gay federal judge, to Kylar William Broadus, the founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition, and Barbara Gittings, whose decades of activism helped shape the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, these pioneering leaders demonstrate the power of the law to create lasting change.

At SeniorLAW Center, we are inspired by their legacy and reaffirm our commitment to continue working toward a future where all people can age with equality and pride.

In honor of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), SeniorLAW Center presented "A Conversation In Recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day" on June 15th at Tel Hai Retirement Community in Chester County, PA.

Thanks to the Chester County Bar Association and other partners, this event provided older adults with practical information on support, safety, and care resources available in Chester County and across Pennsylvania; highlighted statewide and local efforts to prevent elder abuse and prosecute exploitation; and connected attendees to community resources through vendor tables and take-home materials.

The program featured keynote remarks from Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich and an interactive panel discussion and audience Q&A moderated by Susan Nolen, Esq., Supervising Attorney in SeniorLAW Center's Guardianship, Grandfamilies, and Victim Services project. Panelists included:
• Kelly Miehl, Deputy Director, Chester County Department of Aging Services
• Roseanne Milanes, Esq., Director of Guardianship, Grandfamilies, and Victim Services, SeniorLAW Center
• Elizabeth A. Schneider, Esq., Chief Deputy Attorney General, Elder Exploitation Section
• Christine Zaccarelli, Esq., Chief Executive Officer, The Crime Victims' Center of Chester County, Inc.

"For us, every day is a day to fight and raise our voices against Elder Abuse," said SeniorLAW Center Executive Director Karen C. Buck. "We are here because we believe that older adults should be revered, respected, valued, and heard. Let us say no to ageism, and yes to justice and to a world free of violence and exploitation."