City proclaims May ‘Older Americans Month’

Maricopa City Council issued a proclamation designating May “Older Americans Month” during its meeting Tuesday.

The proclamation recognizes the wisdom and experience older individuals possess and acknowledge their contributions to the community. It also reflects the city’s commitment to creating a community that values and respects older residents.

“Older adults are a vital and growing part of our city, and we want to express our appreciation for their contributions to our community and our nation,” the proclamation said.

The Age-Friendly Maricopa Advisory Committee received the proclamation following a reading from Mayor Nancy Smith. The committee is dedicated to improving social interaction and increasing awareness to services, social opportunities and recreation for Maricopa adults 60 and older.

“It’s important that we don’t forget the contributions seniors have made and are going to continue to make,” said Ron Smith, vice chair of the committee. “Sometimes, seniors are dismissed, and I think that’s absolutely the wrong thing because we’re continuing to contribute. We’ve got 7,000-plus seniors in the city of Maricopa, so it’s really important to acknowledge that we’re here, we’re contributing and doing a lot of volunteer work, but we should also recognize the fact that seniors could also use more support.”

Older Americans Month has been celebrated nationally every May since 1963 by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living. The month-long celebration highlights the ways in which seniors enrich the community and promotes their continued participation in civic and social activities.