Know CICOA Before You Need Us: Celebrating Older Americans Month

Written by

Every May, Older Americans Month gives us a chance to celebrate the older adults who shape our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, faith communities, and civic life.

This year’s national Older Americans Month theme, Champion Your Health, highlights prevention, wellness, self-advocacy, informed decision-making, and community partnerships that help older adults lead healthy, independent lives. That message is deeply connected to CICOA’s work. For more than 50 years, CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions has helped Central Indiana families and individuals understand their options, plan ahead, and find support that helps older adults live with dignity and independence at home.  

At CICOA, we believe aging is not something to fear. It is something to honor, prepare for, and support well. Older adults carry wisdom, experience, relationships, stories, and leadership that strengthen our communities every day. Our role is to help make sure the right support is available so more people can continue living safely, confidently, and with dignity in the places they know and love.

Indiana is aging

Indiana’s population is growing older. According to the Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Hoosiers age 65 and older are projected to make up 20.1% of Indiana’s population by 2030, up from 16.5% in 2020.  

That means more of our neighbors, family members, coworkers, friends, and community leaders will be navigating the opportunities and questions that come with aging.

That growth is worth celebrating. It also invites all of us to think differently about how our communities support aging well.

More older adults means more people who may benefit from help navigating health care, meals, home safety, caregiving, accessibility, benefits, and long-term support. It also means more families and individuals will find themselves asking questions like:

Where do we start?
What services are available?
How can someone stay safe at home?
How can caregivers find support?
What does planning ahead look like?

That is why it matters to know CICOA before you need us.

More than 50 years of trusted local guidance

CICOA has been part of Central Indiana’s aging network for more than five decades. Today, CICOA serves as the Area Agency on Aging for Central Indiana and helps older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers connect with the support they need to live with dignity and independence at home.

For CICOA, that work is personal. We are not just a number to call or a list of programs. We are a local guide for families and individuals who want to understand what support exists, what steps they can take, and how to plan ahead with confidence.

Helping people live with dignity at home

CICOA helps older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers connect with home and community-based support. Our work is built around a simple belief: people deserve the opportunity to live with as much independence, safety, dignity, and connection as possible.

That support can take many forms.

Options Counseling helps people understand what services may be available and where to begin. For families planning ahead, it can be a helpful first step toward clarity and confidence.

Meals and nutrition support helps older adults remain nourished and connected in their daily routines. A meal can support health, provide a friendly check-in, and help someone continue living well at home.

Home accessibility support can make daily life safer and more manageable. Practical changes like ramps, grab bars, and bathroom safety features can help people move through their homes with greater confidence.

Caregiver support recognizes that family caregivers need resources, education, respite, and connection, too. Supporting caregivers is part of supporting the person they love.

Community Health Workers help connect people with resources, reduce barriers, and strengthen support within the community.

Together, these services reflect what CICOA has always worked toward: helping people remain connected to their homes, families, routines, and communities.

Celebrating older adults and planning ahead

Older Americans Month is a time to celebrate the older adults who make Central Indiana stronger through their wisdom, experience, relationships, and leadership.

It is also a reminder that aging well is something communities can support. Planning ahead helps older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families understand what resources are available before decisions feel rushed.

For more than 50 years, CICOA has helped Central Indiana families and individuals find guidance, connection, and support that protects dignity and independence at home.

Know CICOA before you need us.
Planning ahead starts here.


Celebrate Older Americans Month with a gift of dignity

Every older adult deserves to feel safe, valued, and connected to the life they’ve built.

This Older Americans Month, your gift helps CICOA continue opening doors to dignity, independence, and support at home for neighbors across Central Indiana.

author avatar
Nate Huff

More News & Stories

Older woman in a wheelchair on a wooden ramp outside a stone house, smiling at the camera.

6 Home Modifications That Can Support Independence Longer

Your needs may change. Your address doesn’t have to. The right home modifications can help older adults and people with disabilities manage daily activities more safely and independently. Whether someone needs more support while bathing or an accessible entrance for...
Young man and older woman smile while hugging on a sofa in a cozy living room with a brick wall backdrop

What the Age Wave Means for Indiana Families

As more Hoosiers grow older, the choices we make today will shape daily life for every generation. It often starts with a ride to a doctor’s appointment or help picking up groceries. Over time, an adult child may find themselves...
Elderly woman laughing while using chopsticks to eat at a dining table with assorted dishes; another person is blurred in the foreground.

CICOA Receives $30,000 Grant from Central Indiana Senior Fund, a CICF Fund, to Support Meals & More Services

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Central Indiana Senior Fund, a CICF fund, to support CICOA's Meals & More Services, which provide nutritious meals and wellness support to older adults and...