Press Releases

AGS Foundation for Health in Aging Agrees, Older Adults are “Never Too Old to Play”

New York, NY -- Older Americans Month is celebrated each May to honor and recognize older Americans for the contributions they make to their families, communities and society.  This year’s theme, Never Too Old to Play, encourages older Americans to stay engaged, active and involved in their own lives and in their communities.

The American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation Health in Aging will celebrate older Americans, family caregivers, and the healthcare professionals who care for older Americans through the following activities this month:

• Blog postings on our new Health in Aging website: www.healthinaging.org
• Tip sheets focusing on different ways older Americans can remain active mentally and physically
• Announcements on Facebook and Twitter using #geriatrics

When Older Americans Month was created in 1963, only 17 million Americans were age 65 or older.  Today, there are more than 36 million Americans over the age of 65, accounting for 12 percent of the total population.  The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by 2050, 87 million Americans—or 21 percent of the population— will be age 65 or older.

"The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging is proud to partner with Older Americans Month in celebrating the significant contributions of older adults, and supporting efforts to help older adults stay active and independent in a variety of ways," said Jan Busby-Whitehead, MD, Chair of the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging, and Chief of Geriatric Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

To learn more about the Foundation for Health in Aging and its new website with up-to-date information on healthy aging from experts in geriatric health care, please visit www.healthinaging.org.