Proclamation 4129—Senior Citizens Month, 1972

There are certain landmark years in every individual's life—memorable, significant years of advance and achievement.

This year offers promise of becoming a landmark year in the lives of America's 21 million older citizens.

In December 1971, I met with 3500 delegates to the White House Conference on Aging. I told the delegates that I did not want their recommendations to gather dust on storeroom shelves. And I promised to join them in making 1972 a year of action for older Americans.

Since that time, we have been reviewing those recommendations—and a number of action steps have already been taken. For example, we have increased the budget for the Administration on Aging tenfold. I have signed into law a new national nutrition program for older people. We are working to ensure that needed transportation services are included in service projects for the elderly. Programs to involve older people in voluntary service to others are growing. And we are moving forward with other, earlier efforts—such as our campaign to reform nursing home care and our program to provide hundreds of information centers for older persons at the local level.

All of these endeavors complement our basic program for improving the income position of the elderly. If the Congress approves my recommendations for reforming and expanding social security and other income maintenance programs, the income of older Americans would be increased by some $5.5 billion annually.

Of course, there is much that remains to be done. One important challenge is to help all our people develop a new attitude toward aging, one which stops regarding older Americans as a burden and starts regarding them as a resource. For such an attitude will not only contribute to the dignity of life for older Americans, it will also give our country the immense benefit of their skills and their wisdom.

Now, Therefore, I, Richard Nixon, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate May 1972 as Senior Citizens Month. The theme for this month is ACTION NOW.

I urge officials of government at all levels—national, State, and local—and of voluntary organizations and private groups everywhere, to give special attention during this period to the concerns of the elderly, so that it may truly be a high point in a year of action for older Americans.

I also urge each individual American to use this month as a time to make a personal commitment to action on behalf of older people—so that the last years may be among the best years for all of our countrymen.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of May, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred seventy-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred ninety-sixth.

RICHARD NIXON