Expect. Employ. Empower. Everyone deserves the opportunity to find and perform meaningful work. This includes older adults and people with even the most significant disabilities.

By Larissa Crossen, Administration for Community Living Program Specialist

As you may have read in the Federal Register or in media coverage of the announcement included in it last week, the Administration for Community Living has made some changes to our organization structure. This was done to better align missions and incorporate the Paralysis Resource Center and the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP), which respectively moved from the CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to ACL earlier this year.

What people say when they greet each other can tell us about their culture as well as their community’s experience. One traditional Mandarin greeting translates into English as "Have you eaten?" Linguists believe this practice probably started when food was scarce and people were often hungry. A recent study in the United States indicated that 8.8% of households with older adults are food insecure, which means they aren’t sure where or how they will get their next meal.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) joins President Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as we recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month, reaffirming our commitment to building our understanding of mental illness, increasing access to treatment, and ensuring those who are struggling to know they are not alone.

Residents' Rights Month is celebrated in October to honor those living in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, assisted living, board and care, and retirement communities. It provides an opportunity for family members, ombudsmen, citizen advocates, facility staff, and others to focus awareness on the dignity, respect, and value of each individual resident. It also serves as a reminder to those living in a long-term care facility to learn about and exercise their rights.

Chronic health conditions are, unfortunately, often a part of the aging process. Ninety-two percent of people over age 65 live with at least one chronic health condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, or cancer. Seventy-seven percent live with two or more such conditions. Chronic health conditions can create challenges that affect every aspect of a person’s life. However, learning to manage those conditions enables people to stay healthy, active, and engaged in their communities.

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" is as true now as it was in 360 BC when Hippocrates gave this prescription to his patients. Good nutrition promotes health and helps prevent and manage many diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and high blood pressure. As the Older Americans Act’s largest health promotion program, the Elderly Nutrition Programs do more than just provide food. The purposes of the Elderly Nutrition Programs, which are administered by ACL, are

Twenty-four years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. The law’s passage signaled America’s commitment to achieving equality for all its citizens by providing long overdue protections for people with disabilities. We have made tremendous progress toward this goal, but we have yet to reach the point at which every person can realize the fundamental rights, protections, and freedoms afforded to each of us by the United States Constitution.

Over the course of my service as Assistant Secretary for Aging, one imperative has stood above all others: preventing elder abuse. I talk about it every chance I get, and it is something we all need to talk about. Preventing elder abuse must be part of the national conversation about how we care for older Americans. That’s why, as our nation prepares to observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15, 2014, I hope you will join me in seeking out opportunities to raise awareness about elder abuse and neglect.