QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Leading the Charge to Recognize the Contributions of Older Americans
for Community Living (ACL), serves as the chief career official for the federal agency responsible for advocating on behalf of older Americans. He guides and promotes the devel- opment of home and community-based long- term care programs, policies, and services. Walker shares some insights on keeping
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messages and engagement strong over the years, as well as information on how your community can support ACL’s Older Amer- icans Month initiative this May.
The Keyword is Change. ACL was first launched in 2012, bringing together three agencies: the Administration on Aging, the Administration on Devel- opmental Disabilities, and the Office on Disability. The coordination has been pro- ductive: “We’re focusing on independence, the ability to lead vibrant lives, and the positive contributions individuals can make regardless of their abilities. Collectively, we’re confronting the negative stereotypes.” Long before the creation of ACL as we
know it today, the idea of an event recog- nizing older Americans was born. “Older Americans Month began in a meeting in April of 1963 between President John F. Kennedy and members of what was then called the National Council of Senior Citizens. They designated May as ‘Senior Citizens Month’. Later, it was changed to Older Americans Month. We’re really pleased to say that every president since that time has issued a proclamation. Older Americans Month continues to be a great opportunity to highlight and celebrate older Americans and the valuable contri- butions they make to their families, their communities, and the nation.”
28 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE / ISSUE 2 2017
dwin Walker, the deputy assistant sec- retary for aging of the Administration on Aging within the Administration
Change The Media to Meet The Message. “Each year, we prepare materials that or- ganizations and communities can use to observe Older Americans Month. Now we are looking at different types of media like Facebook and Twitter, and we are thinking about new ways to use these media to get more information into the hands of older adults, into the hands of caregivers, and into the hands of senior living executives. “We think of Older Americans Month as
an opportunity to educate [the public] on critical issues such as elder rights and the importance of healthy aging. Far too often in the media you get only one perspective— and it’s not always a positive perspective. Our responsibility is to focus on the positive, and redefine aging. This idea that people are in the twilight of their lives, that they’re not productive—we know that’s not who older Americans are today. Older people today are quite innovative and creative. They’re the same people they’ve been their entire life. And it’s our responsibility to show that to the rest of the country.”
Innovate, Evaluate, and Learn. “We try not to get stuck in doing things the same way—[we look] to be innovative and find creative ways to engage older adults. We’ve launched a wide array of activi- ties—some very successful, and some that were not. For instance, one year we had a video contest and a Nintendo Wii bowling tournament. The video contest really didn’t go anywhere. But the bowling tourna- ment—we had over 200 teams in 40 states
Thought Leader Profile
Edwin Walker Administration for Community Living
competing. It really highlighted this sense of active aging—bringing people together, celebrating, and having fun.” Last year, for Older Americans Month,
people were encouraged to share their stories on redefining aging, and ACL saw significant participation from senior living communities. Renewing processes also helps keep the
event fresh. For instance, for a few years, ACL tried holding contests to determine each year’s theme for Older Americans Month, but they found better ideas came from leveraging rela- tionships with older people, communities, and associations. Sharing best practices and inno- vative approaches is not a difficult task in the senior community, Walker says. “We’re bless- ed in the aging community with an incredible group of people who are truly dedicated to the mission. They’re in it because they care.”
Be Proud—and This Year, Be Loud. That’s this year’s Older Americans Month theme: Age Out Loud, designed “to give aging a new voice—one that reflects what today’s older adults have to say,” ACL says. “It’s about people living with boldness and passion, and continuing to inspire oth- ers,” Walker says.
Celebrate Older Americans Month in Your Community!
Visit
oam.acl.gov for materials, activity ideas, and resources to bring your community together in support of older Americans this May.
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