Scott Tanaka
In honor of Veterans Day, I wanted to share about AARP’s Legal Counsel for the Elderly and its Veterans Advocacy Project. For more than 45 years, LCE has championed the dignity and rights of Washington, D.C. elders by providing free legal and social work services to those in need. Its work addresses the most important aspects of an older adult’s life, including housing, economic security, self-determination and health and safety. LCE impacts the lives of nearly 10,000 people annually, while advocating for city-wide reforms in laws, regulations and long-term care facilities.
LCE launched the Veterans Advocacy Project in 2014 to ensure that it is best serving older veterans living in Washington, D.C. The Veterans Advocacy Project works with D.C. low-income older or disabled veterans with specific claims before the Department of Veteran Affairs. LCE provides a range of services including assisting eligible D.C. veterans aged 60 and older with claims for service-connected disability compensation if they are diagnosed with conditions the VA has found to be presumed conditions related to military service.
I recently had an opportunity to witness the important work the LCE does firsthand. I joined two of LCE’s social workers in helping a client who was evicted from their home due to hoarding. Our goal was to help the client declutter so that they could live their life safely again. I clearly saw LCE’s mission of helping D.C.’s elders live with dignity and the assurance that they are not alone being carried out. To learn more about LCE and its services, please visit https://www.aarp.org/legal-counsel-for-elderly/.
If you live outside of D.C., please contact a local Veteran Service Organization for help with benefits questions and claims. VA-approved and -accredited VSOs can be found at the Department of Veterans Affairs website, and it does not charge for help accessing VA benefits and resources.
I also encourage you to visit www.aarp.org/veterans. AARP is committed to providing trusted information veterans and military families can use when it’s needed. One resource I want to highlight is AARP’s Health Benefits Navigator.
AARP’s “Navigator” is a free one-stop resource that brings together valuable information and resources to help veterans, military families and their caregivers pursue their health-care options. This tool can be accessed by going to AARP.org/VetsHealthNavigator. I want to end by thanking our veterans and military families for their tireless service and relentless sacrifice.
Scott Tanaka is a member of the JACL Washington, D.C., chapter and is a program manager, integration, engagement and culture with AARP’s Policy, Research and International Affairs.
