Older Americans Month, 2016

Proclamation 9436 of April 29, 2016

Older Americans Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Through a lifetime of contribution, older Americans
have helped ensure that the founding promise of our
country remains within reach for their children and
grandchildren, and their individual narratives reflect
the extraordinary history of our Nation. This month, we
celebrate our Nation's older citizens, and we show our
appreciation for all they have done to enrich our
communities and drive America forward.

Older Americans have unique knowledge and a breadth of
insights that are tremendous assets to our country--and
our seniors are eager to impart the wisdom learned from
their experiences. Across our country, older Americans
work and volunteer in their communities, challenging
younger Americans' ambitions for what they can hope to
achieve in their golden years. We must maximize the
contributions of our seniors and ensure they have the
resources and support they need to thrive and to keep
shaping the future of the country they love.

The population of the United States is transforming
rapidly. Within the next 13 years, more than one in
five Americans will be of retirement age, and our
Nation must make it a priority to ensure they are able
to retire and live with dignity and respect. I remain
committed to strengthening Medicare and Social
Security--hallmark programs that enabled an entire
generation of older Americans to live with stability
and security. Aging affects us all, and I am dedicated
to empowering more of today's seniors and future
seniors. In 2014, I launched myRA, a new type of
savings bond that allows more of our people to save for
retirement. And earlier this year, I was proud to sign
a reauthorization of the Older Americans Act--providing
critical support for the services seniors depend on to
maintain their health and independence.

Our country has an obligation to make sure older
Americans can enjoy the opportunities that come with
aging, and my Administration is committed to supporting
our seniors. Last summer, we held the White House
Conference on Aging, where we announced our plans to
modernize Federal rules affecting older Americans,
improve access to workplace-based retirement plans, and
better utilize technology to enrich the lives of older
Americans. We launched www.Aging.gov--a resource for
government-wide information for older adults to lead
independent and fulfilling lives. And we have proposed
updating quality and safety requirements for thousands
of nursing homes, making it easier for homebound
individuals to get nutritional assistance, and training
more prosecutors to combat elder abuse.

One of the best measures of a country is how it treats
its older citizens. During Older Americans Month, let
us pay tribute to the men and women who raised, guided,
and inspired us, and let us honor their enduring
contributions to our society by safeguarding their
rights and the opportunities they deserve.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim May 2016 as Older

Americans Month. I call upon Americans of all ages to
celebrate the contributions of older Americans during
this month and throughout the year.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and fortieth.