December 28, 2015
2016 Older Americans Month Theme and Logo Announced

May is a month of fresh beginnings. Perennials bloom once again, blazing a trail of bright color. Here at ACL, May is Older Americans Month (OAM), a time to celebrate the perennial contributions of older adults to the nation. The 2016 theme is Blaze a Trail, and in May we will take the opportunity to raise awareness about issues facing older adults, and highlight the way older Americans are advocating for themselves, their peers, and their communities.
ACL blazed a trail of its own this year by creating an evergreen OAM logo. The goal is to create a recognizable brand that can be carried over from one observance to the next, even though specific themes will be chosen each year. The new OAM logo reflects the tone of the month, and ACL’s vision, perfectly—people celebrating and helping one another to thrive. And, the blaze-like shape made by the figures seems especially appropriate for OAM 2016.
Join us as we Blaze a Trail by promoting activities, inclusion, and wellness for older Americans. More information on how you can participate in OAM is coming soon!

ACL joins President Obama and communities around the world in observing the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The United Nations General Assembly first proclaimed this day in 1992 to promote action and raise awareness about disability issues and draw attention to the benefits of an inclusive and accessible society for people of all abilities.

This year’s theme is “Inclusion Matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities.” Around the world, people with disabilities face far too many physical, social, and attitudinal barriers that prevent them from fully participating and thriving in the community. The obstacle can be an inaccessible building, a discriminatory law, abuse or neglect, or the expectation of failure.

Over the past year, ACL Administrator Kathy Greenlee has joined colleagues from the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development to bring attention to the barriers faced by people with disabilities across the lifespan globally at international meetings including the 70th United Nations General Assembly and the 59th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
And every day, ACL-funded programs seek to remove barriers and promote inclusion for people with disabilities of all ages in the United States.

These include programs that:

• Promote independent living for people with disabilities.
• Investigate suspected abuse and neglect and provide legal advocacy services for people with disabilities.
• Increase access to assistive technology for people with disability.
• Empower people with developmental disabilities and their families to become leaders actively helping to make systems more effective and efficient.
• Conduct and put into practice cutting-edge research on disability, rehabilitation, and independent living.

Click HERE to read 11-6-2015 Alert