Consumer Health Minute: Older Adults and Health

Posted by Carolyn Martin on May 4th, 2023 Posted in: Consumer Health, Health Literacy, Health Observances, Mental Health
Tags: community organizations, consumer health, health information, libraries, National Health Observances, older adults, outreach

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May includes many national health observances including Older Americans Month, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month.

Though Older Americans Month isn’t strictly a health observance, it does provide an opportunity to re-examine how we view aging and celebrate the lives and contributions of the older adults in our lives and communities.

This year’s theme is Aging Unbound. Your library or organization can highlight health information relevant to older adults to support their health physically, mentally, and cognitively.

Visit the ACL (Administration for Community Living) website for materials and activity ideas to help you celebrate Older Americans Month. You can find sample content for social media and your newsletter along with logos, posters, and other graphics.

The National Institute on Aging is an excellent resource. It too includes information on physical and cognitive health with some information available in Spanish. You can also order free print publications.

On May 15 at 6:00 a.m. SST, 7:00 a.m. HST, 9:00 a.m. AKDT, 10:00 a.m. PDT, and May 16 at 3:00 a.m. ChST is a Q&A event on women’s health and aging. Visit the NIA website for information to join this live event.

MedlinePlus has a list of health topics for older adults that include both exercise and mental health. Some information is available in Spanish and additional languages.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a mental health awareness toolkit along with a sidebar with links specific to older adult information.

Celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month with older adults. The Office on Disease Prevention and Health Promotion is encouraging everyone to get active using their Move Your Way® resources and interactive Move Your Way Activity Planner.