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May is Older Americans Month

May is a special month for anyone involved in providing care and services to our elders. May 12, as you know, is Mother’s Day.  The start of our contemporary Mother’s Day celebration dates back to around 1900 and culminated in President Woodrow Wilson signing a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day on May 8, 1914.

Mother’s Day is also the kick-off of National Nursing Home Week, May 12-18. This is a week when we honor the hard work and dedication of both professionals and volunteers striving to create a home away from home for our seniors living in institutional settings. 

Last but not least, we are now celebrating National Nurses Week, May 5-11; a time to honor the nursing staff that play such a critical role in providing care to the long term care population.

With all of these special days happening in May, it is no surprise then that May is also Older Americans Month. In fact, this marks its 50th anniversary. President Kennedy declared the first celebration in 1963 as a way of honoring the invaluable contributions that seniors make to our Nation. In communities big and small, and in ways infinitely too numerous to count, seniors play a critical role in all our lives as reflected in this year’s theme: “Unleash the Power of Age.”

According to the Presidential Proclamation:

“With groundbreaking advances in medicine and health care, Americans are living longer and achieving more. Many seniors are using a lifetime of experience to serve those around them. Even after decades of hard work, men and women are taking on new roles after retirement -- organizing, educating, innovating, and making sure they leave the next generation with the same opportunities they had. It is a commitment that shines brightly in programs like Senior Corps, which connects more than half a million people to service opportunities from coast to coast.

Our seniors deserve the best our country has to offer. This month, we pay tribute to the men and women who raised us, and we pledge anew to show them the fullest care, support, and respect of a grateful Nation.”

Contact: Patrick Cucinelli, pcucinelli@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8827