Buncombe County Celebrating Older Americans Month

Buncombe County celebrates Older Americans Month in May, highlighting the contributions of the county’s 78,000-plus residents who are 60 years old and older, making up about 28% of the country’s population.

Older Americans Month was established in 1963 and is led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). According to ACL, this is a time for us to “acknowledge the contributions and achievements of older Americans, highlight important trends, and strengthen our commitment to honoring our older citizens.”

This year’s theme, “Aging Unbound,” offers an opportunity to “explore a wide range of aging experiences and to promote the importance of enjoying independence and fulfillment by paving our paths as we age.”

On May 18 from 3 to 5 p.m., the county’s Cultural Awareness Recognition and Education Committee and community partners will host an Older Americans Month program at East Asheville Library at 3 Avon Road in Asheville. The program’s theme is “What Would A World Without Ageism Look Like?” and will be a drop-in interactive event. Featured activities include aging sensitivity training, tai chi, diversity in aging with Blue Ridge Pride Generation Plus, displaying anti-ageist birthday cards and the option of making your own anti-ageist birthday card, and more. Snacks will be provided.

Participants of Older Americans Month are encouraged to challenge the narrative on aging through the following methods:

Embrace the opportunity to change. Find a new passion, go on an adventure, and push boundaries by not letting age define your limits. Invite creativity and purpose into your life by trying new activities in your community to bring in more growth, joy, and energy.
Explore the rewards of growing older. With age comes knowledge, which provides insight and confidence to understand and experience the world more deeply. Continue to grow that knowledge through reading, listening, classes, and creative activities.
Stay engaged in your community. Everyone benefits when everyone is connected and involved. Stay active by volunteering, working, mentoring, participating in social clubs, and taking part in activities at your local senior center or elsewhere in the community.
Form relationships. As an essential ingredient of well-being, relationships can enhance your quality of life by introducing new ideas and unique perspectives. Invest time with people to discover deeper connections with family, friends, and community members.
Buncombe County seeks to improve the lives of the older adult community through various initiatives.

Age-Friendly Buncombe County - committed to the safety, well-being, and engagement of older adult residents. This initiative includes more than 80 nonprofits, businesses, governmental departments, older adult volunteers, and other partners, who participate in affiliated committees and working groups.
Age-Friendly Action Plan is a rolling, three-year plan that highlights priority goals and actions for achieving the county’s mission of making the community a safe, engaging, and healthy environment for older adults to live in.
Buncombe Aging Services Alliance - a group of aging service providers and community volunteers that provide networking, collaboration, advocacy, and education for aging service providers. Community partners providing services to older adults can also receive funding through the Aging Services Funding.
Billie Breeden is the Buncombe County Aging and Adult Services Age-Friendly Coordinator.

For more information on Buncombe County Aging and Adult Services, click here. Learn more about the accomplishments of Age Friendly-Buncombe over the past five years by reading this progress report.