Celebrated every May, Older Americans Month is led by the Administration for Community Living, currently a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1963, Older Americans Month is a time to recognize older Americans’ contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our communities.
This year’s theme, “Flip the Script on Aging,” focuses on the importance of combating ageism to transform how society perceives, talks about, and approaches aging by challenging stereotypes and highlighting the benefits of healthy aging.
Ageism affects how we see older adults and how they see themselves. A positive perspective on aging allows individuals to engage fully in their workplaces and communities.
How can community groups, businesses, and organizations mark Older Americans Month?
- Promote Older Americans Month within professional and personal networks.
- Encourage followers to share thoughts and stories on social media using #FlipTheScriptOnAging and #OlderAmericansMonth.
- Share tips on language and activities that dispel myths about aging.
- Host events or programs where older adults can mentor peers, younger adults, or youths to help dispel misconceptions about ageism.
What can individuals do to combat ageism?
- Celebrate and publicly acknowledge the contributions of people of all ages in the workplace and community.
- Avoid ageist statements when talking about growing older.
- Promote fact-based messages about older adults’ abilities and value to communities.
The Administration for Community Living’s website includes a brief history of Older Americans Month. In 1963, President Kennedy established “Senior Citizens Month” after meeting with the National Council on Senior Citizens. At that time, only 17 million Americans had reached their 65th birthdays, and about one third of them lived in poverty, with very few programs to meet their needs. In 1965, President Johnson signed the Older Americans Act, supporting a wide range of social services and programs for individuals aged 60 years or older. The Older Americans Act was reauthorized through 2024 in March 2020.
Ten years after Kennedy’s establishment of Senior Citizens Month, the Older Americans Act was amended, resulting in the establishment of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) nationwide to develop and implement programs and services for older persons at the local level. In 1980, President Carter changed the designation from “Senior Citizens Month” to “Older Americans Month.” Every President since John F. Kennedy has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May asking that we recognize the older persons in our communities.
As the Area Agency on Aging for nine North Shore communities, SeniorCare remains committed to serving our elder community– providing and coordinating services to elders, enabling them to live independently at home or in a setting of their choice, while remaining part of their community. For information on SeniorCare’s services, call our Information and Referral Department at 978-281-1750 or visit www.seniorcareinc.org.
SeniorCare salutes our older Americans this and every month. Extra acknowledgement goes out to the SeniorCare Volunteers of the North Shore, a group of about 400 volunteers, who continue to support our communities through their combined efforts—including Meals on Wheels drivers, medical transportation drivers, money management volunteers, home crafters, and many others. Learn more about SeniorCare Volunteers of the North Shore at www.thevolunteerlink.org.