Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2025 May)
Every year during the month of May, we celebrate Older Americans Month. This annual recognition is a time to reflect on aging well in society, examine our biases and thoughts about aging, and work to identify and address the diverse needs of older adults in our community.
The theme for 2025 is Flip the Script on Aging, prompting us to examine how we think, feel and talk about aging, both individually and as a society. Through open communication and collaboration, we can challenge stereotypes about growing older and create a welcoming environment where everyone can stay active, engage and contribute.
The first step in Flipping the Script is to recognize that aging is a lifelong process that is not unique to older people. We must also push back on the idea that there is a “right” way to age. Each of us will experience aging in our own way with new benefits and successes, along with our own unique challenges.
As these challenges occur, supportive services are needed at different stages, including our later years. Many programs and services are available to help meet the needs of older people in Fairfax County, including transportation services, in-home care, recreation and wellness opportunities, support groups and more. Learn more about these services at FairfaxCounty.gov/OlderAdults or by calling the Aging, Disability, and Caregiver Resources Line at 703-324-7948, TTY 711.
As part of the SHAPE the Future of Aging strategic plan, Initiative Development Committees (IDC) are reviewing recommendations in the SHAPE plan to identify and build initiatives which address the evolving needs of older adults in the Fairfax area. Some of the initiatives they have developed include:
- SAGE Cultural Competency Certification for the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging. SAGE, a provider of advocacy and services to LGBTQ+ elders, has developed a cultural competency curriculum to educate providers about best practices in providing care for adults who identify as LGBTQ+.
- Financial planning seminars in Fairfax County Senior Centers. The seminars were developed in partnership with the Financial Empowerment Center (a program of the nonprofit Britepaths) to help support citizens who are living on a fixed budget.
- A pilot of the StrongerMemory Program, a brain health and social wellness program developed by Goodwin Living, offered in Fairfax County Senior Centers. This program works to improve brain health and increase social connection.
The second step in Flipping the Script is to recognize and call out ageism, discrimination against older people due to negative and inaccurate stereotypes, whenever we encounter it, especially in our own thoughts. Implicit bias, the stereotypes we believe about aging and older people, can unconsciously affect how we think, talk about, and treat older people. Simply being aware of this can help reduce ageism in society.
A SHAPE initiative that helps people better understand the experiences of some older adults is “Exploring the Dimensions of Aging through Virtual Reality,” an Embodied Labs Experience. This program offers facilitated virtual sessions using an immersive training platform that allows participants to “see through the eyes” of older adults who are facing real-life challenges to their safety and well-being, experiencing social isolation or other chronic health conditions like Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s. This training has helped participants understand other people’s experiences, develop a greater sense of empathy, and become aware of their own biases against older adults.
The third step in Flipping the Script is to seek out opportunities for older people to stay engaged and contribute to their community. In Fairfax County, older people can get involved in many ways, including:
- Joining a Senior Center, a Senior Center without Walls, or the Virtual Center for Active Adults, to enjoy recreational and fitness activities and connect with peers. Learn more at FairfaxCounty.gov/neighborhood-community-services/older-adults.
- Older adults often find meaning as volunteers. Volunteer Solutions seeks volunteers for a wide range of activities, including transportation help and social visits. Learn more at bit.ly/DFS-VS. Older adults are valuable volunteers for programs such as GrandInvolve, helping children in the classroom with reading, math and SEL (Social-Emotional Learning). Learn more at FairfaxCounty.gov/neighborhood-community-services/GrandInvolve. Volunteers are also needed for the Body Safety Program, teaching children valuable safety skills on topics such as child abuse, bullying, and internet safety. Learn more at bit.ly/DFS-VPS-BS-V.
- Some SHAPE initiatives are in development to include an intergenerational focus. The IDCs are interested in cultivating opportunities to promote intergenerational connection. One potential focus is seen in the work of the “S” IDC which is looking to create dementia friendly organizations with support of partners to promote intergenerational education and connections in the community.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).