Getting Better With Age

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Text on Button Getting Better with Age.
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White background with black text with a symbol resembling a Fleur-de-lis above the text

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The Older Americans Act of 1965 was passed by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson in July of the same year. The act resulted in the creation of the national Administration on Aging as well as a program referred to as Area Agencies on Aging, which focused on providing local support and community planning for elders in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health. Agencies on Aging sprung up in cities around the country, including Lincoln, NE where this button was likely distributed. Although it's not certain if the buttons were put out by the Administration on Aging at-large or the local Lincoln-based agency, history seems to support the latter: some “Getting Better With Age,” buttons similar to the one seen here also include curl text revealing their creator as “Lincoln Area Agency on Aging, NE.”

Though the reasons for creating the buttons may never be known for certain, they may have been aimed at promoting healthcare for aging Americans or simply as a way to celebrate the beauty of old age. As of July 2025, the Lincoln Area Agency on Aging continues to support the elders in their community, now under the name Aging Partners (AP). 

Sources

Boosalis, H. (1986). Nebraska Department on Aging: 84-85 review. Nebraska Government Publications. https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/A4500/A001-1984.pdf

Dans Collectibles. (2025, May). Lincoln Area Agency on Aging – Getting Better With Age Button Pin [eBay listing]. eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/185131053381

National Council on Aging. (2025, May). The background and history of the Older Americans Act. Older Americans Act News. https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-background-and-history-of-the-older-americans-act/

Northeast Nebraska Area Agency on Aging. (2025). Area Agencies on Aging. https://nenaaa.com/aging-network/area-agencies-on-aging/

Thrifty Cracker. (n.d.). Getting Better With Age Lincoln Nebraska Commission on Aging Pinback Button [eBay listing]. eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/286609472869

Catalog ID IB0059