Rebecca Sky is the executive director of the NH State Commission on Aging. Beth Todgham is a member of the commission and editor of its monthly “Aging Matters” newsletter.

May is Older Americans Month. In this month’s “Aging Matters” newsletter, the NH Commission on Aging published an article titled, “Moving Beyond the Proclamation: 35 Ideas for 2024 Older Americans Month.” The author, Janine Vanderburg, co-founder of Changing the Narrative, offers ways in which we can all celebrate Older Americans Month and, through connections, make long-term, positive change for people of all ages.

The ultimate mission of Changing the Narrative is to end ageism. It uses the theme of each year’s Older Americans Month proclamation to create community engagement leading to meaningful actions that go beyond mere ceremony. Vanderburg describes the recent American Society on Aging conference on Reinventing Older Americans Month 2024, the goal of which was “[t]o gather the wisdom of those in the room on how we could approach the 2024 theme.”

The following are excerpts from the column highlighting ways to connect and engage this month and throughout the year:

“I was part of a roundtable session at the recent American Society on Aging conference on Reinventing Older Americans Month hosted annually by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL). This year’s theme, ‘Powered by Connection’ …recognizes the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being. We [explored] the vital role that connectedness plays in supporting independence and aging in place by combating isolation, loneliness, and other issues. [H]ere’s what participants came up with in [a] short 15-minute activity:

Connect with inclusion in mind. Don’t exclude those who may not be computer savvy. Ensure all materials are language and culturally appropriate. Provide anti-ageism training… so that participants don’t get locked into ‘sad senior, decline and deterioration’ storylines.

Connect and engage community. Bring volunteers together to reach out to older adults who are isolated….Partner with farmers’ markets and churches in rural areas. Designate benches through the community with signs inviting conversation. Encourage local restaurants and food hubs to provide community tables with discounts for food. Use public libraries as gathering places. They are a trusted resource.

Connect across generations. Partner senior centers with high schools and colleges to host generational oral history projects. Connect older and younger people for reciprocal mentoring. Create videos a la Story Corps with a younger person and an older person having an intergenerational conversation on the power of connection.

Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

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Typeshift

SpellTower

Really Bad Chess

Connect around art and culture. Partner senior centers with schools or community groups to create art projects that involve older Americans, potentially for display. Host book club discussions with books featuring older protagonists.

Connect with government & community leaders. Ask the mayor or top elected official in the jurisdiction to kick off Older Americans Month with a media conference, announcing events throughout the community. Invite elected officials to connect and participate in events. Host a panel with retirees, highlighting wisdom gained and obtaining personal stories to share with local officials.

Amplify connection on social media. Use social media to engage the community, spread awareness, and encourage broader participation in Older Americans Month. Host a statewide webinar to share…ideas with partners and possibly stream it on social media platforms.”

The NH Commission on Aging and “Aging Matters” welcome public input about celebrating Older Americans’ Month and ideas for putting the theme of “Powered by Connection” into practice throughout the year. Please send your ideas to nhcoanews@gmail.com. We’ll be happy to share them with our readers and our friends at Changing the Narrative.