Celebrate Older Americans Month: Powered by connection
By Najja R. Orr, MBA, DBA, PCA President & CEO
Every May since 1963, our nation has celebrated Older Americans Month as a time to recognize the significant contributions of older adults, highlight aging trends and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adult community.
The theme for Older Americans Month 2024 is “Powered by Connection.” According to the Administration for Community Living, this theme “focuses on the profound impact that meaningful connections have on the well-being and health of older adults — a relationship underscored by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.”
By connecting with the older adults or elders in your lives, you can learn about your family history and what life was like in a previous time period. You can record and share the rich stories that should continue to be passed down from generation to generation. I vividly recall remarkable life experiences that my grandmother and uncle used to share with me, including stories related to my uncle being the first African American to integrate one of the schools in our hometown. Their life experiences not only shaped their individual lives, but also helped chart the course for our entire family. Conversely, you can connect with younger generations, such as grandchildren, nieces or nephews, and other young people in your lives, to share your own experiences and learn about new trends or technology.
The familial information that is garnered from such intergenerational discussions can then be used for genealogy research to study family history and trace lineage. By further sharing this information with other family members, you can build a record of your ancestry and trace the evolution of your genetic line and ethnic descent.
Keeping these conversations going year-round and documenting the stories told is a great way to preserve your own personal legacy for future generations. There is great power in the wisdom that we share with others.
