Celebrating Older Americans Month
Every May, the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads the national observance of Older Americans Month. This year’s theme is “Age My Way” – with a focus on how older adults can plan to live independently for as long as possible. At USAging, this is our theme all year long! Our members lead local efforts to help older adults age well at home.
Social Security is key to this work. Social Security provides older adults with basic financial support to help them remain living in – and engaged in – their communities. That’s not only what most older adults prefer, but it also benefits their communities. Social Security benefits are economic drivers and lifelines. Older adults spend their income at local businesses, pay local taxes, and support religious and civic organizations.
To age well, older adults need to protect themselves. Unfortunately, the importance of Social Security benefits to older adults and people with disabilities creates opportunities for scammers. Older adults and their family members must be aware of these scams so they protect their Social Security number and don’t get scammed out of their benefits.
A growing area of need and support for older adults is social engagement. Research shows that being socially isolated and lonely has a negative effect on mental and physical health. This increases the risk of dementia, heart disease, and mortality. To find local engagement resources and aging services, contact ACL’s Eldercare Locator at
It’s not just about aging at home. It’s about aging well at home. Our members, the Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI Native American Aging Programs around the country, offer a range of services that promote healthy aging, independence, and engagement. These include:
- Health promotion classes.
- Meal delivery.
- Transportation.
- Medicare education and counseling through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
- Outreach to ensure older adults with low income can afford the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare (in coordination with Social Security).
To make aging your way possible, get connected to local aging resources. Learn more about the local aging services and supports USAging members provide, by visiting the USAging website. Please share this information with your friends and family – and post it on social media.
Our posting of this blog does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any non-Social Security organization, author, or webpages.