Care Connection for Aging Services is seeking nominations for Outstanding Older Adult Awards for its 13 counties as the agency celebrates Older Americans Month in May.
This year’s national OAM theme, “Make Your Mark,” highlights older adults’ unique and lasting contributions to their communities—from sharing a story with grandchildren to leaving a legacy of community action.
Older adults make their marks every day as volunteers, employees, employers, parents, grandparents, mentors, and advocates. They offer their time, talents, and experience to the benefit of their communities.
Even as the Coronavirus forced our 22 locations to close to the public, the agency’s senior center staff members have continued to notice the ways in which older adults care for others in the community and for each other.
“Nearly all of our centers depend on volunteers to deliver meals to the homebound, and many of those volunteers are older adults,” said Diana Hoemann, Care Connection Executive Director. “Even so, most of our volunteer drivers have stepped up to continue meal delivery at a time when homebound adults need their services more than ever. Other volunteers have provided a friendly telephone call and yet others have written notes to their peers, all to keep them connected.”
For 57 years, Older Americans Month has been a time to recognize contributions such as these. Led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) each May, OAM also provides resources to help older Americans stay healthy and independent, and materials to help communities support and celebrate their citizens.
As the community and Care Connection’s centers plan for reopening in the future, we are looking forward to ways that older adults may make their marks by volunteering, tutoring, providing rides and/or groceries for neighbors, and more.
“To keep older adults engaged and healthy, Care Connection is trying to offer more activities in online formats such as Zoom or Facebook Live,” Hoemann said. “As we do so, we welcome ideas from adults of all ages about programs that will help people make their marks.”
To nominate someone for the Care Connection Older Adults award find an online form by visiting www.goaging.org and click on the news and events tab. Care Connection for Aging Services is a non-profit area agency on aging serving 13 counties in West Central Missouri: Bates, Benton, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Henry, Hickory, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Saline, St. Clair and Vernon. The mission is to provide opportunities to create positive aging experiences. For more information, call 1-800-748-7826
