"Age Strong! Live Long!" is the theme to Older Americans Month 2010. According to the Administration on Aging (AOA),  "May is Older Americans Month- a tradition dating back to 1963 to honor the legacies and ongoing contributions of older Americans and support them as they enter the next stage in life." This month has been dedicated to the older population since John F. Kennedy met with the National Council of Senior Citizens in April of 1963.  At the time, approximately 17 million Americans had reached the age of 65. As of 2030, the senior population is expected to be almost 72 million.(www.seniorjournal.com)

To promote the month, the AOA is hosting several national events, including a mile-long walk at the D.C. mall on May 27th as well as a contest to "show what you are doing to age strong."  Though entries are no longer being accepted, everyone can vote online for their favorite entry in three categories; photograpghy, video and poetry/prose.  Cast your vote on-line at http://olderamericansmonth.org/contest.aspx from May 22nd through May 28th, 2010.

Another group, The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is encouraging seniors, especially those that are disadvantaged or finacially limited, to vist the BenefitsCheckUp website at www.benefitscheckup.org  The site contains over 2,000 federal, state and local benefits programs that provide help with medications, healthcare, housing, food and more. Stuart Spector, senior vice president of NCOA, says that "BenefitsCheckUp" is designed to help vulnerable older adults improve their opportunities to 'age strong' by providing information on and access to thousands of benefits programs in one, comprehensive, easy-to-access format." It is also stressed that seniors check the sites regularly due to frequent eligibilty changes.  Since 2001, more than 2.4 million people have used the service collecting benefits valued at more than $8.3 billion. (www.businesswire.com)

On the state level, Govenor Pat Quinn also proclaimed May as Older Americans Month in Illinois.  According to an Illinois Government press release, Gov. Quinn joins the Illinois Department on Aging (IDOA) in encouraging older adults to find out about state resources available that help seniors remain independent in their homes and their communities. IDOA director, Charles Johnson also spoke about the programs while in Chicago at the '2010 Citywide Senior Conference'.  One of the programs highlighted was the Community Care Program which includes such services as case management, in-home care, emergency home responsse and adult day services.  Illinois was also selected to participate in the National Govenors Association 'Policy Academy on Civic Engagement of Older Adults.'  The group will be working on a one year campaign to help create stronger connections between the generations.

The latter is a goal we can all strive for.  As each generation of Americans live longer, so does the gap that divides the younger and the older.  By creating connections and communicating amongst the generations, we create stronger families and communities, which in turn, create a stronger culture as a country.  If you are a younger person, make it a goal to reach out and connect with someone older.  Share a story or perhaps even together you can visit the websites mentioned above.  If you are one of the older Americans, Age Strong! Live Long!