Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2026 August)
ElderLink is a nonprofit partnership between Inova and the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging. Their goal is to promote the well-being, safety and independence of older adults and caregivers. One way they do this is by offering free educational health and wellness workshops designed to address the needs of older adults, including fall prevention and chronic disease. To reach the people who will benefit the most from their workshops, ElderLink partners with independent living communities for older adults and other community-based organizations to bring the workshops directly to residents. Their recent partnership with Oakwood Meadow Senior Residences in Alexandria has been especially successful.
Ramon de Mesa, Recreational Leader with Fairfax County’s Neighborhood and Community Services, is responsible for bringing programs and workshops to the residents at Oakwood Meadow. In May 2025, they hosted an Older Americans Month event with a resource fair, which representatives from ElderLink attended. As a member of the Kingstowne Center for Active Adults, Ramon had previously participated in a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, offered by the Fairfax County Health Department. He thought the workshop series was very beneficial, so when he learned that ElderLink offered it, he was eager to bring it to the residents of Oakwood Meadow. When Ramon reached out to ElderLink, he learned more about the variety of workshops they offered to older adults.
ElderLink’s partnership with Oakwood Meadow began in June 2025 when they offered the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program to their residents. This six-week series, led by trained facilitators, helps participants who are dealing with different chronic illnesses to feel better, increase their energy, and get relief from pain and fatigue in a supportive environment. In January, March and July of 2026, ElderLink offered three more programs, including Bingocize and Walk with Ease – both are fall prevention programs.
Ramon has been impressed with all the workshops. “There are lots of different components in each workshop that are engaging and then you do some physical activities to reinforce the things that you're learning along the way,” he says. The printed materials provided to participants, along with the exercises they learn, ensure that they can continue to address their issues even after the workshop ends. Marianne Ramey, Oakwood Meadow Community Manager, has also been impressed by the workshops, noting that every time one is offered, signups have been full.
Ramon and Marianne both credit the ElderLink facilitators, Deme and Holly, for the workshops’ popularity among the residents. Ramon notes that they are always well-prepared and skilled at engaging their audience. Both he and Marianne observed that Deme and Holly built real relationships with participants. “The people that work for ElderLink are just really amazing people that connect so well with our community and treat our seniors with such dignity and respect and give them such great guidance on things that they can do to help with their personal health journeys. It's just been a wonderful partnership,” Marianne says.
ElderLink’s goal of promoting the well-being, safety and independence of older adults is being realized at Oakwood Meadow. Participants report that the workshops have helped them improve their health. Marianne has seen this firsthand, giving the example of people who used a scooter or walker before who now use a cane or are walking without any assistive device.
The workshops have also led to new friendships. “It (the workshops) has become a good venue for them (participants) to share each other’s feelings and at the same time know each other. Because sometimes living in a community like this, they see each other, but they don’t know each other,” Ramon says. Marianne has also noticed that after attending the workshops, participants are out of their apartments more often and engage more with other residents.
Because their partnership has been so successful, Marianne recommends that other independent living communities for older adults work with ElderLink. “It’s been very positive. They (participants) are not only proud of themselves for signing up and going and taking their health seriously. They glean so much information from the courses that it’s just really helped them,” she says.
You can learn more about ElderLink’s programs and services by visiting their webpage. For more information or to request a service, please call the ElderLink Intake Line at 703-324-5374, TTY 711.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).