About the Elder Abuse Alliance

In every community across this country, vulnerable older adults are being abused, neglected, and exploited. Yet, in many instances, their plight is ignored or minimized. To make a change for the better, the Elder Abuse Alliance works to improve the lives of older adults in Genesee County.
Sadly, too many people view older people as burdens rather than as valued individuals who are entitled, as we all are, to be treated with dignity and respect. Many incidents of abuse go unreported because older persons are embarrassed, ashamed, or fearful of losing the help they need from family members or caregivers in their homes. As the number of older adults in our population increases, the incidence of elder abuse will almost certainly increase unless our society takes action to address this issue.

During the summer of 1999, the Genesee County Elder Abuse Task Force was organized as a volunteer organization. Our goal is to improve the lives of older adults in Genesee County by:

  1. Increasing the awareness of elder abuse
  2. Improving the response to incidents of elder abuse
  3. Developing strategies to prevent elder abuse
  4. Enhancing coordination among service providers

In the spring of 2010, the Task Force merged with the advisory committee for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department Elder Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Unit. The Sheriff’s Department receives funding from the Genesee County senior millage to investigate complaints of violations of criminal laws related to elder abuse.

About the Elder Abuse Alliance
About the Elder Abuse Alliance
In 2014, the membership of the Sheriff’s Elder Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Unit advisory committee and the task force determined that a more formal organizational structure was needed to obtain independent funding and expand its activities. The two groups merged with a local nonprofit organization that had been formed to work in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Elder Abuse Unit. The organization had obtained a 501(c)(3) tax exemption, but had been dormant for several years. The name of the organization was changed to the Elder Abuse Alliance.

The EAA is a non-profit charitable corporation that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are welcome and are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Elder Abuse Alliance Meetings

The Elder Abuse Alliance meets on the first Thursday of each month at 9:00am. Due to the COVID-19 crisis our meetings have been held via virtual meeting technology. When a return to in-person meetings is authorized, our meetings will be held in the lower level of the Genesee County Administration Building, the Human Resources Training Room. Everyone is welcome to attend a meeting as a guest and/or join the EAA as a member. Joining is as simple as attending a meeting and signing in with your name, organization, and email address. There are no dues or applications to join.

Genesee County Administration Building

Elder Abuse Alliance Board

The Board of Directors consists of 15 members, elected to three-year staggered terms. The Executive Committee consists of the four elected officers of the Board of Directors; officer elections are held every July at the annual meeting.

Executive
Committee

Amir Abu-Aita

President

Attorney

Brooke Gow

Vice President

Social Service Agency Director

Tia Coles

Treasurer

Medical Social Worker

Dolores Coulter

Secretary

Elder Law Attorney, Retired

Board of
Directors

Tracy Dowless

Adult Services Supervisor
 

Diane Nims, RN

Home Health Provider
 

Miranda Rusnica

Social Worker

Mike Kotarski

Elder Law Attorney
 

Sam Olson

Genesee County Probate Court
 

Beth Schumacher

Social Worker

Jillian Macey

Sergeant
 

Renee Puvalowski

Local Long Term Care Ombudsman
 

Charles P. Tommasulo

Social Services Consultant

Seth Neblock

Elder Law Attorney
 

Pamela Reid

Program Coordinator & Contract Management

Elder Abuse Alliance Members

Membership in the Elder Abuse Alliance is open to anyone in the community who is committed to the mission of the Elder Abuse Alliance: to improve the quality of life for at risk older adults by protecting their rights, dignity, and promoting their independence and safety. There are no membership dues. The current membership includes individuals from law enforcement agencies, Adult Protective Services, legal services, Probate Court, elder law attorneys, health care facilities, home health providers, assisted living facilities, senior services providers, social workers, and financial institutions.

Contact Us

For general inquiries please contact us at:
P.O. Box 998, Flint, MI 48501
eaagenesee@gmail.com

Please note that as a volunteer organization with no staff and a very small budget we are not able to respond to requests for individual advice or assistance regarding specific situations. However we welcome your comments on the information provided on this website, as well as your suggestions for additions or improvements to the site.

For information on a wide range of resources available in Genesee County for seniors, click here to view the Genesee County Commission on Aging’s Senior Resource Directory.

For information on other elder justice programs in Michigan contact the Michigan Elder Justice Coordinating Council at mielderjustice.org.