Each year, more older adults are making a positive impact across America. As volunteers, employees, employers, educators, mentors, advocates, and more, they offer insight and experience that benefit the entire community. That’s why Older Americans Month (OAM) has been recognizing the contributions of this growing population for 56 years.
Led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) each May, OAM provides resources to help older Americans stay healthy and independent, and resources to help communities support and celebrate their diversity.
This year’s OAM theme, Connect, Create, Contribute, encourages older adults and their communities to:
- Connect with friends, family, and local services and resources.
- Create through activities that promote learning, health, and personal enrichment.
- Contribute time, talent, and life experience to benefit others.
Along with regions all around the nation, NARC will celebrate OAM by promoting ways that community members of all ages can take part in helping the country thrive. Below are three great examples from our membership regarding how their current work highlights this year’s OAM theme:
Connect: The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging (AAA) publishes an annual Senior Information and Assistance Directory, a resource guide connecting seniors and caregivers to many services of interest available throughout the region.
Create: The Rogue Valley Council of Governments Senior and Disability Services department holds six-week Living Well workshops, helping seniors build self-management skills to better deal with diabetes and chronic pain and conditions.
Contribute: The Atlanta Regional Commission Aging and Independence Services Group (the metro region’s AAA) provides senior volunteer opportunities through its empowerline program. Through a variety of activities, senior volunteers share important health, wellness, and preventative services information with the peers in their region that seek assistance.
Join NARC this month in recognizing the important role seniors play in our communities, as well as programming that is happening across our regions to engage and support older Americans. Visit the official OAM website for ideas and inspiration, and follow ACL on Twitter and Facebook.