Older Americans Month 2024

I am Patricia A. Fletcher, Ph.D., the Principal Strategist for our new Aging Employment Portfolio, which is designed to support a multigenerational workforce by ensuring equal employment opportunities for NIH employees who are age 40 and older.

I am excited to celebrate the launch of the Aging Employment Portfolio by marking the occasion alongside Older Americans Month, which is celebrated every May and dates back to 1963 when John F. Kennedy first initiated Senior Citizens Month. I am dedicated to promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility at NIH through uplifting conversations across our community.

This year we celebrate Older Americans Month with the NIH theme, “Intentionality: The Power of Age-Inclusivity.” Let us embrace this month by starting discussions about changing the perspective toward aging. Join us on this journey to overcome and remove implicit age bias for a more age-inclusive work environment where everyone thrives.

At the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we take pride in our ongoing commitment to equal employment opportunity and our diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts. We offer several employment portfolios to identify and address challenges experienced by underrepresented groups and enhance the work experiences of all our employees. We are pleased to announce the newest addition, the Aging Employment Portfolio. This new portfolio is part of an effort led by the NIH Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) to enhance equality of opportunities across the employment lifecycle, support career development, and foster a sense of belonging for individuals age 40 and older. We recognize the valuable experiences, knowledge, and skill sets this demographic contributes to our workforce. We will celebrate the launch of the Aging Employment Portfolio in conjunction with Older Americans Month, which is observed every May. The 2024 NIH theme for this month is “Intentionality: The Power of Age-Inclusivity,” and throughout the month we will offer employees a variety of resources to help combat negative stereotypes and discriminatory practices based on age. On May 7, we invite you to join the Aging Employment Portfolio's inaugural hybrid fireside chat that will feature a discussion on age inclusiveness. During this event, attendees will learn how to build strong connections across an age-diverse workforce to create a welcoming and inclusive workplace for everyone. Join us in acknowledging Older Americans Month by standing together as a strong NIH community. Let us celebrate the announcement of this important initiative and pledge to work to create a diverse and equitable workplace that promotes mutual respect, understanding, and appreciation. Please visit EDI’s website, explore the blog posts, follow the office on LinkedIn and X, and watch EDI’s YouTube channel to stay informed on the exciting things happening this month.