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/