Each May, the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) encourages organizations around the nation to celebrate Older Americans Month (OAM). OAM offers an opportunity to recognize the contributions of older adults while reaffirming our commitment to supporting healthy aging. This year’s theme, Champion Your Health, emphasizes prevention, wellness, and empowering individuals to take an active role in their health.
At Rush Generations, we see this as more than a theme—it is a call to action. Our work focuses on advancing health equity for older adults, particularly in communities that have historically faced barriers to access, resources, and culturally relevant care. This year, our Older Americans Month programming reflects that commitment by bringing together health, culture, and community in meaningful and intentional ways.
Elevating Caregiving, Culture, and Community Leadership
In addition to our community-based programming, we were proud to co-host the Schaalman Senior Voices Thought Leader Lecture with the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging and the E4 Center for Health Disparities in Aging. This lecture series is designed to bring national perspectives and expertise to local conversations about aging and care.
This year’s lecture, Finding Grace and Support on the Dementia Caregiving Journey, featured Dr. Fayron Epps, a nationally recognized leader in caregiver research. Dr. Epps’ work centers on the experiences of Black family caregivers and highlights the essential role of faith, culture, and community partnerships in supporting individuals living with dementia, while also addressing the structural and cultural barriers that contribute to disparities in dementia care. Just as importantly, her work demonstrates how faith-based organizations can serve as trusted, powerful partners in reducing stigma, building support networks, and creating sustainable systems of care.
By elevating these perspectives, the annual Schaalman Thought Leader Lecture reinforced our commitment to advancing culturally grounded, community-informed approaches to aging and caregiving. Health care professionals and academics who attended learned how to powerfully connect with faith-based organizations and communities to reduce barriers to dementia care and caregiving. You can watch a recording of the lecture at cutt.ly/RushGenYouTube.
Moving Health Forward Through Movement
One of the most innovative ways we are engaging older adults this year is through Steppin’ Into Summer, a community health fair centered around Chicago-style Steppin’.
We know that traditional health fairs can sometimes feel clinical or transactional. By contrast, Steppin’ Into Summer is designed to be welcoming, joyful, and culturally grounded. Chicago-style Steppin’—a dance deeply rooted in Black Chicago’s musical and cultural history—serves as both a draw and a bridge.
Dancing is not only enjoyable; it is also a proven way to support physical activity, balance, coordination, and social connection—all critical components of healthy aging. By meeting people where they are culturally and socially, we can create opportunities for engagement that feel natural rather than prescriptive.
At this event, older adults and community members can participate in Steppin’ lessons, access free health screenings, connect with resources, and engage with trusted partners—all in one space. For older adults who want to continue Steppin’, the Steppers University and the Senior Steppers from the Central West Senior Center will be there—and they are always recruiting more senior steppers. Getting older adults involved in Steppin’ at the senior center opens up even more opportunities for exercise, access to culturally relevant food, and a wide range of engaging activities.
In addition, this year’s event will feature an innovative Slipper Exchange, developed in collaboration with the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging’s mobility and health equity cores and the Illinois Falls Prevention Coalition. Community members are invited to bring old or unsafe house shoes and receive a new pair designed to help reduce fall risk—an important and often overlooked aspect of older adult health. This initiative reflects how simple, practical interventions—when paired with community engagement—can have a meaningful impact on safety and independence.
Introducing the Community to Sankofa Village Wellness Center
This year’s event will be held at the newly opened Sankofa Village Wellness Center in Garfield Park.
Sankofa Village Wellness Center represents a broader vision: a place where health, housing, and community come together. Hosting Steppin’ Into Summer at Sankofa is an opportunity to welcome community members into the space, build familiarity, and begin to activate it as a hub for connection and care.
The health fair will also bring together community partners and Sankofa residents, creating an environment that reflects the kind of ecosystem we are working to build—one rooted in collaboration, accessibility, and trust.
Building With the Community, Not Just for It
Central to advancing health equity is ensuring that programs are not only available—but also relevant, responsive, and shaped by the community itself.
In addition to our public programming, Rush Generations is conducting focus groups with older adults living near Sankofa Village Wellness Center. These conversations are critical to understanding community priorities, preferences, and lived experiences.
Through this work, we are:
- Ensuring programming reflects cultural values and community identity
- Building trust and buy-in from residents and local leaders
- Creating opportunities for ongoing dialogue and partnership
This approach helps us move beyond one-time events toward sustainable, community-informed programming that truly supports long-term health and wellbeing.
A Month—and a Movement
Older Americans Month is a moment to celebrate, but it is also part of a larger, ongoing effort.
At Rush Generations, our commitment to older adults extends far beyond the month of May. Throughout the year, we prioritize the health and health equity of older adults on Chicago’s West Side through innovative, community-integrated programs that are designed in partnership with the communities we serve.
From culturally grounded wellness programming to community-based partnerships and resource navigation, our work is focused on creating sustainable pathways to health, connection, and independence for older adults year-round.
To learn more about Rush Generations and our ongoing work, visit rush.edu/rushgenerations.
At Rush Generations, we are committed to:
- Expanding access to preventive health resources
- Creating engaging, culturally meaningful opportunities for wellness
- Strengthening community partnerships
- Elevating the voices and experiences of older adults
Whether through a dance floor, a health screening, or a community conversation, our goal is the same: to support older adults in leading healthy, connected, and empowered lives.
We invite you to join us this May—and to be part of the community we are building.
