August 21^st is National Senior Citizen’s Day                            

• 1960 - A panel is established to move away from institutionalization and towards community-based living
• 1968 - The first Special Olympics games are held in Chicago, with athletes from 25 states and Canada
• 1971 - Landmark court case to support the rights of children with IDD to receive a public education
• 1975 - Law is passed to compel all schools to provide full educational opportunities to children with IDD
• 1979 - A declaration affirming the rights of people with IDD to live in and be part of their community
• 1990 - The Americans with Disabilities Act is passed
• 1991 - A self-advocacy organization (SABE) is started and within two years has chapters in 37 states
• 1996 - Sandra Jensen is the first person with IDD to receive a multi-organ transplant
• 2000 - Institutional census drop to less than 50,000 (in 1967 the census was 194,650)
• 2004 - Children receiving special education services in school can no longer be segregated
• 2009 - Rosa’s Law is passed. The law replaces the term “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability”
• 2013 - Inclusion in colleges, job training programs and schools is becoming mainstream
• 2014 - The Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2014 establishes a clear national priority for employing people with disabilities
• 2022 - The Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act is introduced to the House of Representatives

Every senior citizen with a disability has played a paramount part in the changes that occurred over the last 65 years. Thank you for fighting to ensure equality, humanity, and better opportunities for everyone living with a disability. We are thankful for your strength and determination, because of you:

In honor of Senior Citizen’s Day, we thank everyone 65 or older living with a disability for paving the road for people with IDD to live a more dignified and meaningful life.

Resources

Sachon, L. (2023, August11). National Senior Citizens Day. National Today.
https://nationaltoday.com/national-senior-citizens-day/

Wehmeyer, Ph.D, FAAIDD, M. L. (2013). The story of intellectual disability: An evolution of meaning, understanding, and public perception. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.