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<br />1 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date:May 5, 2015 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No.4-b <br />SUBJECT: <br />Older Americans Month Proclamation <br />DEPARTMENT:PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)No <br />Aging and Advisory Board on <br />Aging <br />ATTACHMENT(S):INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Janice Tyler, Director, 245-4255 <br />Older Americans Month ProclamationHeather Altman, Chair –Advisory <br />Board on Aging <br />PURPOSE: <br />Toapprove a proclamationjoiningFederal and State governments in designating <br />the month of May as Older Americans Month and a time to honor older adults for their <br />contributions to society and to Orange County. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />May is Older Americans Month, a tradition dating back to 1963. For many <br />years the Orange County Board of Commissioners hasissued a proclamation for Older <br />Americans Month. This year’snational theme isGet Into the Act. The theme focuses on how <br />older adults are taking charge of their health, getting engaged intheir communities, and making <br />a positiveimpact in the lives of others. <br />The theme also reflects on the50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act. President Lyndon <br />B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law in July 1965. Since that timethe Act has <br />provided a nationwide aging services network and funding that helps older adults live with <br />dignity in the communities of their choice for as long as possible. These services include senior <br />centers, daily lunch programs,caregiver support, community-based assistance, preventive <br />health services, elder abuse prevention, and much more. <br />While the Department on Aging offersoutstanding programs and services to older adults year- <br />round, Older Americans Month offers an opportunity to emphasize how older adults can access <br />the homeand community-based services they need to live independently in their communities. <br />It is also an occasion to highlight how older adults are engaging with and making a difference in <br />theircommunities. <br />This year the Department on Aging ishighlightingthe work being done by theProject EngAGE <br />Senior Resource Teams. Seven teams are working in the following areas: Outreach to Faith <br />Based Organizations; Falls Prevention; Dying with Dignity; Village Community Models;Senior <br /> <br />