Overview

Active Aging Week, September 22-28, 2013:
Discover your Community.

Active Aging Week is a stage in the media spotlight - an opportunity to promote and publicize the efforts of motivated organizations to reach older adults with the key messages of staying active, healthy and engaged.

The 2013 theme, Discover your Community, recognizes the important role that older adults play in all sorts of communities - vocational, geographical or cultural - and celebrates their full participation in diverse areas of life. With the wellness model in mind, event ideas for individuals or groups hosting Discover Your Community could include:

Our guidelines are simple. Active Aging Week events are planned locally, allowing organizers at each host site to decide what they wish to do. Active Aging Week events are delivered in a fun, educational, no-pressure atmosphere. And they are free to participants.

Sample activities include:

• Joining with children or other groups on a nature walk;
  
• Adding a trash pickup to a routine recreational walk;
  
• Bringing experience and knowledge to civic ventures by organizing volunteer contributions;
  
• Fostering social interaction within a community with games days, or special activities like dance classes;
  
• Holding open houses for the community at large;
  
• Adding extra appeal to existing crafts or cultural groups by adding special challenges or performances.

Well over 3,000 organizations support Active Aging Week ever year by presenting activities and exercise ranging from dances to t'ai chi to activities at health fairs or talks at seminar halls - making the point that life's full measure of enjoyment is available to everyone, regardless of age. Active Aging Week proves it, and ICAA supports those who embrace it in any way we can.