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8 <br /> Commissioner Dorosin rejoined the meeting at 7:36 p.m. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said it is important to approach the issue from the vantage point <br /> of and how it intersects with the other issues on which the Board works: education, criminal <br /> justice, policing, etc. He said issues of care, treatment and access do not exist by themselves, <br /> and an intersectional perspective should be kept in mind. <br /> Chair Price thanked Commissioner Fowler for bringing this item forward. She said there <br /> are many people suffering from isolation, with both the young and old being suicidal. She said <br /> people sometimes turn to opioids and narcotics, instead of seeking out help. <br /> c. Older Americans Month Proclamation <br /> The Board considered voting to approve a proclamation joining Federal and State <br /> governments in designating the month of May 2021 as Older Americans Month and a time to <br /> honor older adults for their contributions to the community. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> May is Older Americans Month, a tradition dating back to 1963. For many years the Orange <br /> County Board of Commissioners has issued a proclamation for Older Americans Month. This <br /> year's national theme is Communities of Strength recognizing the important role older adults <br /> play in fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities. <br /> In tough times, communities find strength in people— and people find strength in their <br /> communities. In the past year, this has occurred time and again in Orange County as friends, <br /> neighbors, and businesses have found new ways to support each other. <br /> In the community, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, <br /> successes, and difficulties, these residents have built resilience that helps them to face new <br /> challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger, too. <br /> Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life — a <br /> conversation shared with a friend, working in the garden, trying a new recipe, or taking time for <br /> a cup of tea on a busy day. And when people share these activities with others— even virtually <br /> or by telling about the experience later— it helps them build resilience too. <br /> This year, Orange County celebrates Older Americans Month by encouraging community <br /> members to share their experiences. Together, everyone can find strength — and create a <br /> stronger future. The County also celebrates the many ways in which older adults make a <br /> difference in the communities. It encompasses the idea that getting older does not mean what it <br /> used to. For many aging Americans, it is a phase of life where interests, goals and dreams can <br /> get a new and second start. Today, aging is about eliminating outdated perceptions and <br /> redefining the way you want to age. <br /> President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law in July 1965. Since that <br /> time, the Act has provided a nationwide aging services network and funding that helps older <br /> adults live with dignity in the communities of their choice for as long as possible. These services <br /> include senior centers, daily lunch programs, caregiver support, community-based assistance, <br /> preventive health services, elder abuse prevention, and much more. <br />