Ohio Department of Aging
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May 2008
Director's Notebook
Loving Life, Helping Others, Supporting Communities
Each May, during Older Americans Month, we celebrate the contributions older Ohioans have made, and continue to make, to society. Together with Senior Citizens Day, May 20, Older Americans Month gives us the chance to recognize the accomplishments of our elders and to promote active aging - encouraging everyone, regardless of age, to live life to the fullest.
Today's older Ohioans are healthier, more active and better educated than ever before. They are living full and satisfying lives and making Ohio a better place to live. Ohio's theme for Older Americans Month 2008 - "Loving Life, Helping Others, Supporting Communities" - emphasizes that Ohioans of all ages, especially older Ohioans, can live active, full lives and give back to their communities through caregiving, volunteerism, employment and family and community leadership.
Older Ohioans serve as role models in caregiving. Of those caring for someone age 65 and over, the average age is 63 years. In 10 percent of Ohio households with children, grandparents are filling the roles of primary parents and caregivers. At the estimated value of $257 billion nationally, informal caregiving greatly exceeds the costs associated with home health care ($32 billion) and nursing home care ($92 billion) combined.
Older citizens throughout the state provide their communities with needed assistance in many areas, but especially education, health and elder care. Without volunteers, many organizations and programs, such as Meals on Wheels and the Volunteer Ombudsman Associate Program, would not be able to provide the help that so many Ohioans depend upon. Nationally, older people volunteer an average of 96 hours each per year - nearly double the hours of the population as a whole.
Older Ohio workers enable the state to be successful and competitive in the global market. Today's mature workers want to continue working past traditional retirement age - and their community businesses need their experience, dedication, focus, stability and enhanced knowledge. As Governor Ted Strickland said at the 2007 Governor's Conference on Aging: "One of the great strengths of Ohio's economy is our skilled and experienced workforce." Our senior working population will have a critical impact on the employment and economic future of Ohio.
Just as seniors are the foundations of their families, they can also act as cornerstones of their communities, serving as leaders, mentors and role models. To honor the outstanding achievements of older Ohioans, the Ohio Department of Aging instituted the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. This year, on May 22, twelve seniors will be inducted, including an ombudsman, a marathon runner, an author and an advocate for the mentally disabled.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of Older Americans Month. Please join me in celebrating the contributions of our older citizens. Special events and celebrations are held during May in communities throughout the state and nation. Ohio senior centers, senior living facilities and even amusement parks have organized a number of events, including senior proms, special intergenerational dinners and picnics and health expos. Last year, a Cincinnati-area elementary school collaborated with a retirement community for a session of "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?"
For a listing of Senior Citizens Day activities near you, or to add your organization's activities, visit the Ohio Department of Aging Web site (www.GoldenBuckeye.com/oam).
Ohio Department of Aging