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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-04-2021; 4-c - Older Americans Month Proclamation 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 4, 2021 Action Agenda Item No. 4-c SUBJECT: Older Americans Month Proclamation DEPARTMENT: Aging and Advisory Board on Aging ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Older Americans Month Proclamation Janice Tyler, Director, 245-4255 Heather Altman, Chair, Advisory Board on Aging PURPOSE: To approve a proclamation joining Federal and State governments in designating the month of May 2021 as Older Americans Month and a time to honor older adults for their contributions to the community. BACKGROUND: May is Older Americans Month, a tradition dating back to 1963. For many years the Orange County Board of Commissioners has issued a proclamation for Older Americans Month. This year's national theme is Communities of Strength recognizing the important role older adults play in fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities. In tough times, communities find strength in people — and people find strength in their communities. In the past year, this has occurred time and again in Orange County as friends, neighbors, and businesses have found new ways to support each other. In the community, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, successes, and difficulties, these residents have built resilience that helps them to face new challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger, too. Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life — a conversation shared with a friend, working in the garden, trying a new recipe, or taking time for a cup of tea on a busy day. And when people share these activities with others — even virtually or by telling about the experience later— it helps them build resilience too. This year, Orange County celebrates Older Americans Month by encouraging community members to share their experiences. Together, everyone can find strength —and create a stronger future. The County also celebrates the many ways in which older adults make a difference in the 2 communities. It encompasses the idea that getting older does not mean what it used to. For many aging Americans, it is a phase of life where interests, goals and dreams can get a new and second start. Today, aging is about eliminating outdated perceptions and redefining the way you want to age. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law in July 1965. Since that time, the Act has provided a nationwide aging services network and funding that helps older adults live with dignity in the communities of their choice for as long as possible. These services include senior centers, daily lunch programs, caregiver support, community-based assistance, preventive health services, elder abuse prevention, and much more. While the Department on Aging offers outstanding programs and services to older adults year- round, Older Americans Month offers an opportunity to emphasize how older adults can access the home- and community-based services they need to live independently in their communities. It is also an occasion to highlight how older adults are engaging with and making a difference in their communities. In this era of COVID-19, there are shining examples of how older adults are contributing to the strength of the community. The Project EngAGE Senior Leaders are connecting with older adults in their communities to make sure their needs are being met during these difficult times. Leaders are making phone calls, picking up food, delivering senior center lunches, sewing facial coverings, and pitching in wherever there is an unmet need. The End of Life Choices Senior Resource team saw an unmet need and created a document to aid in emergency planning during this COVID-19 health crisis. This new document is not intended to replace persons' advanced directives, but is to be used as a tool to provide additional information should you be diagnosed with COVID-19. Tech volunteers at the Seymour Center put their skills and creativity to work and transitioned very quickly into offering our computer classes in a virtual environment. This was critical in helping many older adults learn how to use their computers to connect to virtual center programs and to their family and friends. Volunteers have also helped make it possible for the County to serve almost a 1,000 curbside meals weekly helping the many older adults in the community that are food insecure. And lastly, with COVID-19 occurring during tax season, VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) volunteers should be congratulated for developing a secure process for assisting persons with tax preparation that does not involve a face to face appointment. Last year this program was recognized by the IRS for its innovative work during the pandemic. Today there are over 30,000 Orange County residents who are 60+ and of that group over 1,900 who are over age 85. As large numbers of baby boomers reach retirement age, it is the goal to keep them physically and socially active through their 80s and beyond. Lifelong participation in community, social, creative and physical activities have proven health benefits, including retaining mobility, muscle mass and cognitive abilities. But older adults are not the only ones who benefit from their engagement in community life. Studies show their interactions with family, friends, and neighbors across generations enrich the lives of everyone involved. With COVID-19, the celebrations and activities honoring Older Americans Month are being curtailed, but the County still encourages older adults to celebrate "Community of Strength." With 3 social distancing and the Seymour and Passmore Centers not being open to group activities, the County challenges everyone to stay connected through phone calls, virtual gatherings, and participate in virtual and parking lot programs. This is a time for everyone to celebrate the strength of the community by remaining resilient; calling neighbors; saying thank you to frontline workers; and demonstrating a willingness to help the community recover from this pandemic and prepare for whatever the new normal is. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with approval of the proclamation. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, and programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. The Older Americans Act provides funding for senior centers, daily lunch programs, caregiver support, preventive health services, adult day care and other community based assistance. • GOAL: ENABLE FULL CIVIC PARTICIPATION Ensure that Orange County residents are able to engage government through voting and volunteering by eliminating disparities in participation and barriers to participation. The Volunteer Connect 55+ program along with Project EngAGE is committed to engaging volunteers to assist in meeting the growing needs of older adults in the community. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the proclamation designating May 2021 as Older Americans Month and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation. 4 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION Older Americans Month — May 2021 Theme— "Communities of Strength" Whereas, Orange County includes over 30,000 persons aged 60 and older who have built resilience and strength over their lives through successes and difficulties; and Whereas, Orange County benefits when people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds are included and encouraged to share their successes and stories of resilience; and Whereas,Orange County recognizes our need to nurture ourselves,reinforce our strength, and continue to thrive in times of both joy and difficulty; and Whereas, Orange County can foster communities of strength by: • creating opportunities to share stories and learn from each other; • engaging older adults through education, recreation, and service; and • encouraging people of all ages to celebrate connections and resilience. Now, therefore, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim May 2021 to be Older Americans Month, and urge every resident to recognize older adults and the people who support them as essential contributors to the strength of our community. The 4th day of May, 2021. Renee Price, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners