PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago possesses a distinguished history, recollected and shared best by some of our most venerable residents; and

WHEREAS, the present face of Chicago has been indelibly shaped by those who stand among Chicago's 4000,000 residents aged 60 or better; and

WHEREAS, older adults maintain an integral role in all of society by sharing knowledge, wisdom, and the understanding of the history of our community in a variety of priceless exchanges with children, youth, and adults from other generations; and

WHEREAS, the many fruits of knowledge and experiences gained through personal trials and testimonies as well as lessons learned  can  be  effectively  transferred  from  generation to generation through meaningful social interactions; and

WHEREAS, senior citizens' daily dealings with family, friends, and neighbors across generations enrich the lives of everyone involved; and

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago and the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) remains dedicated to helping all individuals maintain their health and independence in later life as DFSS spearheads the process to craft an Age-Friendly Chicago Plan; and

WHEREAS, it was a true honor and a privilege to submit the City of Chicago's application for the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and become an active partner collaborating with a growing number of cities and communities worldwide striving to be better meet the needs of residents of all ages by creating inclusive and accessible urban environments; and

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago recognizes that our community can provide opportunities to enrich residents -young and old - by emphasizing the value of including elders in public and family life, helping older adults take control of their safety and wellbeing, and creating opportunities for older Americans to interact with people of different generations while providing services, technologies, and support systems that allow older adults to participate in social activities in the community:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RAHM EMANUEL, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO, do hereby proclaim May 2015 to be OLDER AMERICANS MONTH IN CHICAGO, and urge all Chicagoans to take the time this month to engage with our older citizens through quality time spent on enjoyable social interactions such as conversation, sports, games, contests, and other hobbies.

Dated this 30th day of April, 2015.

Official Mayor's Office Proclamation

Seniors can find more information about planned celebrations and events for the month on our event calendar.

May 2015 Older Americans Month Activity Calendar

In addition to the events calendar for Older Americans Month in Chicago this May we are posting this link showing a listing of our Senior Centers and their hours of operation. Please note that these centers are only open to Chicago Seniors!

City of Chicago Senior Centers