“Older Americans have carried our Nation through great challenges and triumphs. They have enriched our national character and strengthened the Republic for those who have followed. During the month of May, we pay tribute to the wisest among us.”

From a proclamation by President Barack Obama, May 2009

Established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, Older Americans Month (initially called “Senior Citizens Month” before President Jimmy Carter changed the name) is an annual tradition sponsored by the Administration on Aging (AoA). This year, the theme of “Living Today for a Better Tomorrow” highlights the importance of prevention efforts and programs for older Americans. Chronic disease, disability and injury plague our nation’s elders; therefore, the national network of aging services and other community providers must include a focus on prevention in the programs/services they offer. Across the country, area agencies on aging and other aging service providers will participate in a number of activities (community events, fairs, ceremonies, etc.) during the month of May to honor those in the 65+ bracket.

When JFK designated May as Senior Citizens Month,” about 1/3 of older Americans were living in poverty. Few programs were available to meet their needs, and senior issues were moving up on the national agenda and onto the public’s radar screen, hence the dedication of an entire month for a national focus on these challenges. Now, although there is still much work to be done in terms of strengthening programs/services, raising awareness, and defying myths/stereotypes, aging is a hot topic. You can’t go very far without hearing about some issue that relates to seniors. Even aging-related terms have become a part of our day-to-day vocabulary (i.e. sandwich generation, aging in place, caregiver burnout, etc.).

It is truly amazing to think about how fast our country has “grayed.” When Older Americans Month was established in 1963, there were a mere 17 million Americans who were over 65. I say “mere” because the most recent estimate (from 2006) indicated that 37.3 million Americans – that’s about 12.4% of the population, or 1 in 8 persons – had blown out 65 candles on their birthday. But wait, there’s more! By 2030, there will be 71.5 million older citizens, representing 20% of the population (for more aging statistics, http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Aging_Statistics/index.aspx). Wow!

I recently attended a meeting of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Elder Law Section, where the state Secretary of Aging, Mike Hall, gave a presentation on the status of aging affairs in the Commonwealth. He spoke about the challenge of rebalancing the state’s long-term care system to include more equal funding for home & community-based services and skilled nursing care. According to Hall, achieving this balance is a huge paradigm shift just by nature of the aging demographic explosion (thanks to increased longevity). Toward this end, Hall shared that when he started working in the aging services network about 30 years ago, most nursing home residents were about 60 years old.

These days, with 60 being the new 50, it’s hard to imagine someone at that age needing skilled care. Most nursing home residents in the year 2009 are in their eighties or beyond. Hall also made the point that just a few decades ago, it was quite uncommon to hear about centenarians. But now, Willard Scott can barely fit all the 100+ birthdays into his short time slot on the Today Show.

America is aging rapidly, and it’s going to take more than one month of every year to solve the problems and celebrate the successes of this gold & silver generation. Let’s get to work!

Visit www.aoa.gov for more information on Older Americans Month, and be sure to celebrate the elders in your life year-round.

- Michelle Seitzer