Agenda 05-21-19 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 1 2 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations 3 4 a. Older Americans Month Proclamation 5 The Board considered voting to approve the proclamation designating May 2019 as 6 Older Americans Month and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation. 7 Heather Altman, Vice Chair of the Board on Aging, and Janice Tyler, Department on 8 Aging Director, presented this item. 9 10 BACKGROUND: 11 May is Older Americans Month, a tradition dating back to 1963. For many years the Board of 12 Commissioners has issued a proclamation for Older Americans Month. This year's national 13 theme is Connect, Create, Contribute. The theme emphasizes that no one is ever too old (or 14 young) to take part in activities that can enrich their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. 15 It also celebrates the many ways in which older adults make a difference in their communities. It 16 encompasses the idea that getting older does not mean what it used to. For many aging 17 Americans, it is a phase of life where interests, goals and dreams can get a new and second 18 start. Today, aging is about eliminating outdated perceptions and redefining the way each 19 individual wants to age. 20 21 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law in July 1965. Since that 22 time, the Act has provided a nationwide aging services network and funding that helps older 23 adults live with dignity in the communities of their choice for as long as possible. These services 24 include senior centers, daily lunch programs, caregiver support, community-based assistance, 25 preventive health services, elder abuse prevention, and much more. 26 27 While the Department on Aging offers outstanding programs and services to older adults year- 28 round, Older Americans Month offers an opportunity to emphasize how older adults can access 29 the home- and community-based services needed to live independently in their communities. It 30 is also an occasion to highlight how older adults are engaging with and making a difference in 31 their communities. Project EngAGE Senior Leaders are shining examples of how it is to 32 Connect, Create, Contribute by connecting in their communities and reinventing themselves 33 through creating new projects and contributing to their community. Their work is organized into 34 thirteen Senior Resource Teams working in the following areas: Faith Based Outreach; Senior 35 Falls Prevention and Health Promotion; End of Life Choices; Neighborhood Connections, 36 Senior Rural Hunger; Senior Transportation and Mobility; Caregiver Support Team; Community 37 Visiting; Mental Health and Aging; Long Term Care; Intergenerational Aging; Aging Policy and 38 Advocacy; and LGBTQ and Aging. 39 40 Today there are over 28,000 Orange County residents who are 60+ and, of that group, over 41 1,800 who are over age 85. As large numbers of baby boomers reach retirement age, it is a 42 goal to keep them physically and socially active through their 80s and beyond. Lifelong 43 participation in community, social, creative and physical activities has proven health benefits, 44 including retaining mobility, muscle mass and cognitive abilities. Older adults are not the only 45 ones who benefit from their engagement in community life - studies show their interactions with 46 family, friends, and neighbors across generations enrich the lives of everyone involved. 47 In honor of this year's theme, Connect, Create, Contribute, everyone is challenged to get 48 connected by participating in activities that promote mental and physical wellness, offering 49 wisdom and experience to the next generation as everyone works to create the best community 50 possible, and contribute to the community by seeking mentorship of someone with more life