On June 9, 2026, in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Senator Lynda Culver hosted a press conference with Journey for Justice. The event included families, advocates, protective services professionals and community partners to discuss the need to better protect older Pennsylvanians from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
This conversation also included information about Alice’s Law, legislation inspired by Alice Longenberger’s story, to establish an Elder Abuse Registry and strengthen protections for care-dependent older Pennsylvanians.
About Alice’s Law
Elder abuse is far more common than most people realize — studies estimate that roughly one in ten older Americans experiences some form of abuse each year, whether that’s financial exploitation, physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
Alice’s Law is a proposed piece of Pennsylvania legislation aimed at closing a critical gap in how the state protects older adults. If enacted, it would direct the Department of Aging to create a statewide elder abuse registry — a public record listing the names, addresses, and photographs of individuals found to have committed elder abuse, along with details about what happened and when and where it occurred. Anyone listed on the registry would be barred from working as a caregiver for care-dependent individuals going forward.
The bill carries Alice’s name because it was introduced to put a face and a story behind the need for this kind of registry in Pennsylvania — a reminder that policy changes like this one start with real people and real harm.
Journey to Justice is proud to support Alice’s Law and to advocate for its passage. A registry like this would give families, care facilities, and agencies a critical tool to keep known abusers away from vulnerable older adults — and would help ensure that what happened to Alice doesn’t happen to someone else.
Want to help move Alice’s Law forward? Contact your state senator and representative and let them know you support this legislation.