After April showers come May flowers, but did you know that May is also “Older Americans Month.” That’s right! Since 1963, the United States’ Administration for Community Living (“ACL”) has celebrated those resilient and dynamic citizens, 65 years young and older. It was in 1963, that President John F. Kennedy and members of the National Council of Senior Citizens designated May as “Senior Citizens Month,” the precursor to “Older Americans Month.” Every president since Kennedy has issued a formal proclamation during or before the beginning of May asking the nation to celebrate our seniors by acknowledging their resiliency and contributions to our nation. The theme of the yearly celebration changes each year with the this year’s theme being “Communities of Strength”.
In the Silver State, the celebration will kick-off on May 1 with a message from Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto on YouTube followed by various virtual events and free in-person activities throughout the month, like free admission to the National Automobile Museum in Reno. In Lyon County, the Lyon County Board of County Commissioners plans to approve a Proclamation declaring May as Older Americans Month, at their May 6th Board Meeting. Please contact the Board for more information.
For more information about senior services, contact the Senior Center in your county or visit Nevada’s Department of Health & Human Services Aging and Disability Services Division’s website at http://adsd.nv.gov/Contact/Contact_AgingDisability/ or call (888) 729-0571. For more information about the Administration for Community Living, visit https://acl.gov/.
Together we can celebrate older Americans every day!
By Lidia Rincon, Senior Law Project Attorney
