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~1' <br />And the Day Begins.... <br />Participants registered upon arrival <br />and received agendas and <br />information on resources for the <br />aging in Orange County. After <br />registration, the community forum <br />began with the HSCAC Co-Chair, <br />Robin Barnhill, welcoming <br />participants and presenting the <br />agenda. The forum was developed in <br />coordination With a number of .Forum participants eager to start the day. <br />groups to facilitate the gathering of <br />policy makers, providers, consumers, and volunteers for a better community for <br />the aging. Commissioner Valerie Foushee added welcoming remarks with greetings <br />from the Orange County Board of Commissioners. <br />Florence Soltys, introduced by Commissioner Barry Jacobs, updated the forum <br />participants on the status for the Master Aging Plan (MAP). The MAP functions to <br />promote a senior friendly community as part of a smart growth policy. It is a <br />countywide plan that will involve both the public and private sectors. Soltys also <br />shared some concerning statistics with the attendees. As of September, 2006, <br />18,000 people were aged 60 years and above in Orange County, surpassing the <br />number of school-aged children in the county. The aging population is often <br />referred to using the three "F's": fit, frail, and fragile. Within the older Orange <br />Count population, 79% are considered fit, 16% as frail (disabled and in need of <br />some assistance), and 5% as fragile (severely impaired and/or institutionalized). <br />Given these statistics, the MAP will play a crucial role as the county continues to <br />grow. <br />Ann Johnson, a long time activist and community advocate, who serves as the <br />Orange County Representative to Senior Legislator amongst other roles, <br />introduced the forum's keynote speaker, the Honorable Representative Jennifer <br />Weiss. The. North Carolina House Representative expressed her support of the <br />increasing focus on the elderly community. She discussed the current legislation <br />and legislative needs for the aging population, including housing, long-term care, <br />and the impact of mental health reform. With the assertion of the value of older <br />community members, she encouraged community members to purchase long-term <br />Page 3 of 18 <br />