Older Americans Month

Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads our nation’s observance of Older Americans Month. The theme for 2023 is "Aging Unbound."  

In 2023, ACL will be focusing on aging unbound – which offers an opportunity to explore diverse aging experiences and discuss how communities can combat stereotypes. Join us in promoting flexible thinking about aging – and how we all benefit when older adults remain engaged, independent, and included.

Share Your Stories

Stories build community and connect us even when we can’t be physically together. Recalling adventures with childhood friends, that family weekend at the beach, a teacher who helped guide your life, or how you learned you would become a grandparent—all of those stories connect you with your past and the people who have mattered along the way. They help people you love to get to know you better and feel closer to you. Looking back at how we got through other tough times can help us manage this challenging time. Sharing what we love about our friends and family members helps them feel stronger and more connected.

Stories can be told over the phone, on the computer, over the backyard fence. They can be told in letters, in pictures, in headlines, and photographs collected from newspapers. We don’t have to be together to share our stories and build each other up.

We can make a mark on people’s lives with the stories we share.

Inspire Your Community

Encourage individuals to share stories with the people they live with, in writing, in pictures, or by phone or video call. Make the following ideas your own and promote them through social media, check-in phone calls, a flyer handed out with home-delivered meals, or another way you’re connected to your community. If you really like one of the questions or ways to share, focus your efforts there. This kind of inspiration can be as broad or narrow as you’d like—customize for your community. 

Think about the stories that make up your life. Which ones would you like to share? Here are some questions that might get you thinking:
  • What would you like to tell your 22-year-old self?
  • What do you think your 22-year-old-self would want to tell you?
  • What are the best and worst pieces of advice you’ve received?
  • What’s your hidden talent?
  • What are you most proud of?
  • Looking back, is there something you wish you had done that you did not?
  • What do you most admire about your best friend?
  • What do you wish the world knew about you?
  • Was there a time when an older adult helped you feel strong in a tough time?
  • What does it mean to be a caregiver? What did you learn from the experience?
A poster that says `` engage virtually '' on it
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