May is Older Americans Month
05/15/2014
Older Americans Month: A month in which to celebrate our seniors
Older Americans Month is a great time to focus on seniors even though many of us celebrate seniors all year ‘round. And that’s a great thing. But to ensure seniors receive the proper recognition due, May is designated as national “Older Americans Month”. It’s a month in which we recognize older Americans for their contributions and provide them with the information they need to help them stay healthy and active. This year’s theme is “Safe Today. Healthy Tomorrow.” According to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a branch of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, older adults are at a much higher risk of unintentional injury and even death than the rest of the population. Unintentional injuries to this population result in at least 6 million medically treated injuries and more than 30,000 deaths every year. With a focus on safety during Older Americans Month, the Administration for Community Living plans to use this opportunity to raise awareness about this critical issue. By taking control of their safety, older Americans can live longer, healthier lives. The History of Older Americans Month Senior Citizens Month was established in 1963 when then President John F. Kennedy met with the National Council of Senior Citizens to designate a month of observance for seniors. At that time, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthday, about a third of older Americans lived in poverty and there were few programs to meet their needs. Interest in older Americans and their concerns was growing and to recognize them was rightly fitting. Older Americans are productive, active, and influential members of society, sharing essential talents, wisdom, and life experience with their families, friends, and neighbors. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter changed the name from Senior Citizens Month to Older Americans Month. Historically, Older Americans Month is a time to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons to our country, in particular those who defended our country. Every President since JFK has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May asking the entire nation to pay tribute in some way to older persons in their communities. Older Americans Month is celebrated across the country through ceremonies, events, fairs and other such activities. Past Older Americans Month Themes- 1978 - Older Americans and the Family
- 1984 - Health: Make it Last a Lifetime
- 1985 - Help Yourself to Independence
- 1986 - Plan on Living the Rest of Your Life
- 1992 - Community Action Begins with You: Help Older Americans Help Themselves
- 1993 - No theme selected (proclamation signed on May 25, 1993)
- 1994 - Aging: An Experience of a Lifetime
- 1995 - Aging: Generations of Experience
- 1996 - Aging: A Lifetime Opportunity
- 1997 - Caregiving: Compassion in Action
- 1998 - Living Longer, Growing Stronger in America
- 1999 - Honor the Past, Imagine the Future: Towards a Society for All Ages
- 2000 - In the New Century. . . . The Future is Aging
- 2001 - The Many Faces of Aging
- 2002 - America: "A Community for all Ages"
- 2003 - What We Do Makes A Difference
- 2004 - Aging Well, Living Well
- 2005 - Celebrate Long-term Living
- 2006 - Choices For Independence
- 2007 - Making Choices for a Healthier Future
- 2008 - Working Together for Strong, Healthy and Supportive Communities
- 2009 - Living Today for a Better Tomorrow
- 2010 - Age Strong! Live Long!
- 2011 - Older Americans: Connecting the Community
- 2012 - Never Too Old to Play
- 2013 - Unleash the Power of Age
- 2014 - Safe Today. Healthy Tomorrow