Department of Family Services

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
703-324-7500 TTY 711
12011 Government Center Parkway, Pennino Building
Fairfax, VA 22035
Michael A. Becketts
Director

Golden Gazette - October 2024


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2024 October

Featured Articles

Photo of Margie Weiss with her granddaughter Brooke Frishman.Juli Verrier is Passionate About Helping Animals
Julianne (Juli) Verrier believes in finding your passion. A lifelong animal lover, she is passionate about caring for vulnerable animals. Following her retirement 10 years ago, Verrier began devoting much of her time to volunteering with the animal rescue group, Pets Bring Joy, to help cats without homes in the community. In June, her compassion for endangered cats led to her rescuing a mother cat and her five kittens from the parking lot at a local Starbucks, then fostering the feline family while working with other volunteers to place them in loving homes. While caring for these creatures can be exhausting, it is also a gratifying experience, one that provides Verrier with a deep sense of purpose and great joy.Read more.

Graphic for the VCAA that includes colorful dots and photos of older adults engaged in various activities.The Beacon’s 50+ Expos Celebrate 25 Years  
For the 25th year in a row, The Beacon, a free monthly newspaper dedicated to serving the interests and needs of the 50+ community in the Metro Washington, D.C. area, will host 50+ Expos in Maryland and Virginia. Older adults and their families are invited to attend these free, in-person events to learn about a range of services and resources, listen to informative speakers, participate in health screenings, and more.  Read more.

Image showing a Fairfax County Library card which includes the logo and a spiraling bookshelf.Using Virtual Reality to Explore Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's Disease in Older Adults 
It’s not always easy for people to understand the challenges and frustrations of older adults, even when they work with them, or are a caregiver, close family member, or friend. However, a new training series has been created to address this issue. Exploring the Dimensions of Aging through Virtual Reality, offered and facilitated by ElderLink, a partnership program between the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging and Inova, allows participants to “see through the eyes” of older adults to better understand what it is like for them while they encounter daily challenges. Read more.

Photo of an older woman facing the camera with a support group gathered in the background.Simple Ways to Document Your Family History 
Many of us have that one relative who is passionate about genealogy. Perhaps you are that relative. Genealogy enthusiasts are often deeply devoted to their hobby, spending long hours combing through archives and other sources to fill in the branches of their family tree. However, genealogical research is not for everyone. If you are interested in documenting your family history, there are ways to capture stories and memories without combing through digital archives or purchasing a subscription to ancestry.com. Read more.

More Articles


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*Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. To request reasonable accommodations or to receive this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-7948 or TTY 711.


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