For this year’s Older Americans Month, the Administration for Community Living — who has led the initiative for 57 years — is celebrating older citizens and their contributions to our communities and by providing resources to keep them healthy and independent. Whether it is something big or small, you can “make your mark” to create a better community for our older adults' present and future.
“Older adults are a vital part of our community. With the population of adults 65 and older growing faster than other age groups, we must come together to support those in the Brazos Valley through resources and companionship,” says Marcia G. Ory, PhD, MPH, founding and co-director of the Texas A&M University Center for Population Health and Aging.
According to the ACL, communities benefit when:
- People of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds contribute and participate to making communities a better place
- The community recognizes how important physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being are to its citizens and engages them through recreation, education, and service
- People connect and share time, experience, and talents across generations
“More than ever, it is important that people of all ages take the time to connect,” Ory says. “Sharing experience, knowledge through things like volunteer opportunities enriches the lives of all involved.”
Royce Hickman, community liaison for the Bryan College Station Chamber of Commerce, says, “A great way for [older adults and retirees] to make a mark is to find their passion and get involved in that area whether it is volunteering or working part time with an organization. Part of retirement is enjoying and doing things to help and benefit people in our community.”
Amid social distancing measures as a result of COVID-19, connecting with others can take the form of video calls, phone calls, and even written letters. Share your life story with your grandkids; tutor a student while their parents are working; start a virtual book club.
What is important is getting involved whether virtually or in-person.
“Right now, making your mark doesn’t have to involve big efforts. It can be something as simple as staying home to protect those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. It can also be buying meals or products from local restaurants and businesses to make sure our local businesses and employees are supported. Being a good citizen in your community can go a long way,” Ory says.
Community organizations like the Brazos Valley Area Agency on Aging work “to assure that the Brazos Valley region is a good place to grow up old and healthy,” says Ory. “[They] acknowledge the independence of the elderly and resources in this pursuit. Older people can be reassured that their individual rights are valued and that the communities offer services appropriate to their preference.”
BVAAA works with the Center for Population Health and Aging to offer evidence-based educational opportunities for adults looking to empower themselves to manage their conditions and to improve their health. These include classes on chronic disease, diabetes, and chronic pain self-management.
“These programs are not content-driven, they’re process-driven. Problem-solving, goal-setting, action-planning; those are really the skills we try to teach so that participants can be empowered to self-manage their health,” says Matthew Lee Smith, PhD, MPH, CHES, co-director of the Texas A&M Center for Population Health and Aging.
Ory says, “While we are not offering these classes at the current moment, these are excellent strategies to get us through the current pandemic and beyond. It is important that each of us recognize that there will be a time in the future where we can once again safely come together in groups to “make our mark.”
This article is brought to you by the Texas A&M Center for Population Health and Aging. The center strives to bring together stakeholders and partners from the community, clinical, and corporate sectors to address the needs of older adults. For more information about CPHA, visit www.cpha.tamhsc.edu.
