HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania is rolling into the holiday season with a major victory for older adults, announcing more than $10 million in new funding for the Commonwealth’s 52 Area Agencies on Aging and launching a strengthened statewide effort to combat elder exploitation.
The funding boost, included in the 2025–26 budget signed recently by Governor Josh Shapiro, marks a significant investment in services that help older adults remain healthy, independent, and connected across all 67 counties. The money will support a wide range of programs, including in-home care, community centers, transportation, protective services, caregiver reimbursements, and efforts to reduce waiting lists for the OPTIONS program, which helps seniors with daily living needs.
“Thank you, Governor Shapiro and members of the General Assembly for allocating more than $10 million from the state budget to the 52 Area Agencies on Aging,” Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich said. He added that the Administration’s ongoing commitment includes multi-year increases to aging services, renewed investments in senior centers, and the statewide 10-year plan for healthy aging known as Aging Our Way, PA. “These investments are making history and helping to build a brighter future for all of us to age in Pennsylvania.”
Area Agencies on Aging, which deliver daily services to thousands of older adults, had been strained during the budget impasse. Rebecca May-Cole, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging, said the funding arrives at a critical moment. “The Area Agencies on Aging are lifelines for thousands of older adults every day,” she said. “They are committed to ensuring that Pennsylvanians aged 60 and over remain safe, independent and connected in their homes and communities.”
Older residents can locate their local AAA and explore available services through the Department of Aging’s website.
The Department also joined Attorney General Dave Sunday this past week to launch the Office of Attorney General’s new Elder Exploitation Section, a statewide initiative aimed at strengthening investigations and prosecutions of financial crimes targeting seniors. The announcement brought together lawmakers, state agency leaders and advocates who underscored the growing need for specialized protections.
Kavulich said the new section fills critical gaps in expertise and time at the local level. Pennsylvania’s AAAs investigate more than 41,000 cases of suspected abuse each year, and financial exploitation remains the fastest-rising threat to older adults. “Pennsylvania is the best place in the nation to age,” he said. “Financial exploitation is the fastest-growing threat to that future, and that’s why we must fight it together.”
Reports of suspected elder abuse can be filed through a local AAA or the statewide 24/7 confidential helpline at 1-800-490-8505. Further information on resources for older Pennsylvanians is available at the Department of Aging’s website.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.