| |
OUTREACH
|

Click
here for movie of participants creating the hanging mobiles!
(windows media file)
|
Each
year the Administration on Aging (AoA) issues a theme for
Older Americans Month to assist our National Aging Services
Network of state, tribal, area agencies on aging, and community
services providers plan for activities that take place in
May or throughout the year.
History
of Older Americans Month
When
Older Americans Month was established in 1963, only 17 million
living Americans had reached their 65th birthdays. About a
third of older Americans lived in poverty and there were few
programs to meet their needs. Interest in older Americans
and their concerns was growing, however, in April of 1963,
President John F. Kennedy's meeting with the National Council
of Senior Citizens served as a prelude to
designating May as "Senior Citizens Month."
President
Jimmy Carter's 1980 designation changed "Senior Citizens
Month," to "Older Americans Month."
Every
President since JFK has issued a formal
proclamation during or before the month of May asking
that the entire nation pay tribute in some way to older persons
in their communities.
|
|
Congratulations
to the
Co-Winners of
the Network-wide hanging mobile project:

Institute
on
Aging ADHC/ADCRC
and
|
SteppingStone Mabini ADHC
|
|
|
|
|
|
Self
Help for the Elderly ADHC, St. Mary's ADHC, On Lok Lifeways
(IOA)
|
2009
Theme 
POSTER
CONTEST
SteppingStone MABINI ADHC - FIRST PLACE in the 1st Annual SFADSN
Older Americans Month Project Contest.
 
Congratulations
to our other participants:

ABOVE:
Title:
The Power of Today's Senior
A Vital Impact, Institute on Aging
PACE (Fillmore)
Title: "Be(e) Bus(y) Love Life, San Francisco Adult Day Services
Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Center
BELOW:
Title: Make Art For Happy Aging, Self Help for the Elderly Adult
Day Health Center
Title: Adding Years = Adding Wisdom, Institute on Aging Adult Day
Health Center
 
The
activities and art therapy staff engaged the participants to create
the posters. The posters were displayed at the United Way of the
Bay Area office in downtown San Francisco as part of a Diversity
Celebration. Thank you to UWBA staff and guests for participating
in the voting!
City-wide
Vision and Hearing Screening event:
On
May 12, 2009, the first annual Vision and Hearing Screening Day
was held at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center and provided
44 vision and hearing screenings for seniors throughout the underserved
area of Bernal Heights. Marketing extended to senior centers, senior
housing sites, senior health clinics, the county's Department on
Aging and Adult Services, retailers and organizations throughout
the area. The Network partnered with Prevent Blindness, the Hearing
& Speech Center of Northern California, the Bernal Heights Neighborhood
Center, and the Lighthouse for the Blind-San Francisco to coordinate
and hold this wonderfully successful event. Staff from each of the
agencies, including the Network, donated countless hours to plan
and facilitate the event. Participants received free screenings,
referral and follow-up plans, free snacks and lunches, and free
gift bags that included magnifiers, bookmarks, ear plugs, amplified
smoke alarms, and coupons for discounted purchases at the store
at the Lighthouse for the Blind-San Francisco. Our hope is to hold
a potentially even larger screening event next year to raise awareness
among seniors of the need for screening and care to prevent and
treat vision and hearing loss. Our appreciation to UWBA/Frances
Goldsmith Trust Fund for providing this opportunity.
The
elderly population in the United States is increasing rapidly. By
the year 2030, approximately 70 million Americans will be over 65
years of age. Loss of vision and hearing among the elderly is a
major health care problem: approximately one in three elderly persons
has some form of vision-reducing eye disease by the age of 65 and
at least 25% of individuals over the age of 65 report problems with
hearing. Vision and hearing impairments are associated with a decreased
ability to perform activities of daily living and an increased risk
for depression. Because these conditions may initially be asymptomatic,
regular screening examinations are recommended for elderly patients.
-
Network joined Pride Parade as Community Partner! http://www.sfpride.org/
|