Celebrate Our Beloved Older Americans This Month
You may know that February is African-American History Month and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but did you know that May is Older Americans Month? Sadly, like many older Americans, Older Americans Month is often ignored, even though it has been around since 1963! Here’s what you need to know about the history of Older Americans Month and how to celebrate it.
What Is Older Americans Month?
President John F. Kennedy created Older Americans Month in 1963 in response to a meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens. Originally called “Senior Citizens Month,” Older Americans Month was established as a way to celebrate the contributions of older people to America.
How Do We Observe Older Americans Month?
This May, you can expect President Trump, as have many Presidents before him, to issue a formal proclamation that we as a country pay tribute to our older citizens. For 2020, the theme of Older Americans Month is “Make Your Mark.”
The goal of this theme is first, to celebrate the many ways in which older Americans have made their mark on society over the course of their lives, and second, for communities, individuals and organizations to take the initiative and make their mark by offering support to older people, their caregivers and the communities in which they live.
What You Can Do to Celebrate Your Senior Loved Ones This Month
What can you do personally? Think about what challenges the older members of your community may be facing and what they have done for the community. Think of ways that you can personally (or with other members of the community) help those people with some of their challenges or recognize the good work they have done.
When it comes to the older Americans in your own life, be they parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles or just good friends, May offers a great opportunity to catch up and let them know that you are still thinking of them. Remind them of the importance they have had and continue to have in your life. Just spending time with the older people that you care for can mean the world.
Another thing you may want to take this opportunity to do is make sure those older loved ones you care about are well taken care of themselves. One of the ways you can do that involves their living arrangements.
Celebrate the Older Americans in Your Life With By Giving Them a Great Place to Live
Wonderful advances in health have been made over the last several decades, and many people are living longer and healthier than ever before. That doesn’t change the fact that older Americans may have daily needs that their children or other loved ones may be unable to provide on a regular basis.
For those in the Portland metro or Northern California area who need to find the right situation for their older loved one and have no idea how to get started, there’s Golden Placement Services. We specialize in matching older individuals with the ideal living situation, whether they need a low, moderate or advanced level of care.
We specialize in asking the right questions in order to create optimal matches with the assisted living communities, retirement communities and other senior placements in our vast network. To learn more or set up an appointment, contact Golden Placement Services now.
