Older Adults in the Spotlight during May

Did you know that two awareness events focused on senior citizens happen each May?

One is Older Americans Month. Established in 1963 by the Administration for Community Living, this awareness event is a time to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of older Americans, highlight important trends, and strengthen our commitment to honoring our older citizens.

The second awareness event is National Elder Law Month. The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the premier professional association for elder law attorneys, declared May to be National Elder Law month to show its support for Older Americans Month.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Older Americans Month. A different theme is selected for each year's observance, and this year's theme, Aging Unbound, offers an opportunity to explore a wide range of aging experiences and to promote the importance of enjoying independence and fulfillment by paving our own paths as we age.

How can you observe this year's theme in your own life? The Administration for Community Living offers these suggestions:

Embrace the opportunity to change. Find a new passion, go on an adventure, and push boundaries by not letting age define your limits. Invite creativity and purpose into your life by trying new activities in your community to bring in more growth, joy, and energy.
Explore the rewards of growing older. With age comes knowledge, which provides insight and confidence to understand and experience the world more deeply. Continue to grow that knowledge through reading, listening, classes, and creative activities.
Stay engaged in your community. Everyone benefits when everyone is connected and involved. Stay active by volunteering, working, mentoring, participating in social clubs, and taking part in activities at your local senior center or elsewhere in the community.
Form relationships. As an essential ingredient of well-being, relationships can enhance your quality of life by introducing new ideas and unique perspectives. Invest time with people to discover deeper connections with family, friends, and community members.

One of the biggest ways to challenge the conventional narrative on aging is to get professional support when you need it, and elder law attorneys can play a major role in the process. Elder law can encompasses a variety of issues including estate and trust administration, asset protection, conservatorships, Medicaid planning and applications, elder abuse and exploitation, as well as special needs planning. Some elder law attorneys will advise on all of these issues, while others will choose to specialize in just one. Even lawyers who limit their practice to elder law may not be experts in all these areas. Therefore, it is important to do your due diligence in finding the elder law attorney that is the right fit for your needs.

Kimbrough Law has extensive experience as an elder law firm. We have helped thousands of older adults in North Georgia preserve quality of life, protect assets, and get the right care during the long-term care journey.

If you have a question regarding caring for a loved one, how to pay for that care, and/or estate planning and asset protection, please call our office at 706.850.6910.