The Dept. for the Aging had its beginnings in 1958 as the Commonwealth's Commission to Study Facilities and Services available for the Elderly. By 1970, responsibility for developing and coordinating programs for the elderly was housed in what was then called the Division for State Planning and Community Affairs. In 1973, the General Assembly appointed a Commission on Aging and in 1974 they established the Virginia Office on Aging as an independent agency reporting to the Governor. This same year saw the creation of the Governor's Advisory Board on Aging. In 1979, the Director of the Office on Aging reported to the newly established Secretary of Health and Human Resources. In 1982, the General Assembly recognized the significance of programs for older Virginians by upgrading the Office on Aging to full departmental status.

The Dept. for the Aging was designated at the state's unit on aging as required by the Older Americans Act and the federal Administration on Aging. The Dept. was responsible for planning, coordinating, funding, and evaluating programs for older Virginian's which were made possible through funding from both the Older Americans Act and from the Virginia General Assembly. The programs included a full range of nutrition, transportation, health, education, and social services to improve the quality of life for older Virginians. The Dept. also worked with local agencies established under the auspices of the Older Americans Act called Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). The AAAs were designated by the Dept. for the Aging, with the sanction of local governments, to plan, coordinate, and administer aging services at the community level.

The Dept. for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) was created in 2012 by merging the former Dept. of Rehabilitative Services and the Dept. for the Aging. In 2013, the adult services units from Virginia's Dept. of Social Services became part of the agency. DARS provides and advocates for the highest quality of services to help older Virginians and those with disabilities to maximize and secure their employment, independence and full inclusion into society and guides the Commonwealth in preparing for an aging population. At the state level, this agency works with its community partners to be more effective in strategic planning, budgeting, program monitoring and evaluation and training and technical support.

Within Aging Services, the Virginia Division for the Aging (VDA) works with local Area Agencies on Aging and various other public and private organizations to help older Virginians and their families fidn the services and information that they need to lead healthy and independent lives as they grow older. VDA oversees all funds provided by the federal Older Americans Act and the Virginia General Assembly. Aging Services also incudes the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman,which advocates for older persons receiving long term care services, and the Adult Protective Care Division, which investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults 60 years of age or older and incapacitated adults age 18 or older.