In Sacramento County, California, a group of dedicated volunteers have identified the issue of elder abuse as an important community problem that they want to mitigate. They have already begun to develop workable strategies to address this problem in conjunction with government, business and non-profit entities. The volunteers have chosen to focus their efforts in helping to sustain a needed level of social services to those persons served by programs of the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Senior and Adult Services Division (SAS)**.

In August 2002 in response to pending budget cuts which threatened to disportionately affect the SAS Division’s ability to provide a minimally adequate level of protection and intervention services for seniors at risk of abuse and/or neglect, including self-neglect. In response to the concerns of the community a Take A Stand Against Elder Abuse (TASAEA) Campaign was launched to heighten public awareness about the service needs of seniors and dependent adults, and to undertake multiple efforts to raise funds to meet these needs. The goal of TASAEA is to tangibly demonstrate that Sacramentans care about vulnerable seniors and dependent adults.

Senior volunteers assumed positions of leadership from the campaign inception. TASAEA volunteers in conjunction with the Division, outreached to senior centers, churches, businesses, health fairs, etc, and organized six successful events since August 2002; the 1st and 2nd Annual Sacramento Elder Walk and four annual Sacramento Centenarian Dinner and Silent Auctions.

TASAEA was incorporated as a public non-profit on April 1, 2003. It is a 501©(3). Three of the four board members are over age 60. TASAEA provides the ideal format for senior volunteers to work in self-directed teams, which make optimum use of their talents and skills for the betterment of the community. Senior volunteers are directly involved in all phases of TASAEA projects, from inception and planning through execution and evaluation.

** SAS annually provides services to approximately 25,000 vulnerable and disabled seniors and adults. The Division’s programs include In-Home Supportive Services, Adult Protective Services and the Public Guardian/Public Conservator/Public Administrator’s Office.  In addition the Division has developed innovative discretionary programs such as a specialized financial abuse investigation team, multidisciplinary Elder Death Review Team, the Older Adult Resource Center, and the Community Housing Coalition Utilities Assistance Program. These critically important, though non-mandated programs have received statewide awards and local commendations. It is the involvement of numerous community partners that makes these programs successful by helping to save lives, improve the quality of life and to prevent unnecessary institutionalization.

You can help prevent elder abuse by supporting our programs.

There are multiple ways you can help:

1. Sponsor a team of walkers for the Sacramento Elder Walk
2. Donate towards TASAEA's Annual Centenarian Dinner
3. Purchase Centenarian Dinner meal tickets online
4. Become an event sponsor