Why We Need Your Help
Because residents of independent living facilities currently have no protection under established laws or regulatory processes as outlined in the case of our mother, it is possible that another incident like the one our mother endured could occur. It is unacceptable that our elders in independent living do not have protections in place to prevent these kinds of incidents, and we are working toward securing the protections for elderly citizens in independent living in the Commonwealth of Virginia and across the United States. Here’s what we’re doing:
Meeting with Legislators to Promote Legislative Reform
Several legislators reached out in response to our press release to discuss our agenda to propose legislative reform that will put regulations in place to protect the vulnerable group of elderly citizens residing in independent living facilities in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
On January 10, 2018, House Joint Resolution No. 118 was introduced by Delegate Robert Bell and Senator Creigh Deeds, both representatives of Diane's District, to request a study and report by the Department of Social Services "regarding potential regulations and oversight may help to ensure that residents of such independent living communities are adequately protected."
Sharing Diane's Story
Since the conclusion of the arbitration process, we have submitted a press release to a variety of media outlets and legislators and are reaching out to advocacy organizations for Seniors, such as the AARP. Diane's story has been reported on by a variety of these media outlets, and the articles can be read in the News section of our website. By sharing Diane's Story, we are attempting to increase the accountability of independent living facilities and the imposition of reasonable penalties when they fail.
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