Agenda - 04-24-2003-3 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Introduction Over the centuries both society and individuals have continued to raise the same age old, but fascinating questions - Why do I grow old? How can I stop, slow down or reverse the aging process? What impact do environment, lifestyle and genes play in successful aging? How can I live a longer life? Perhaps the most important question to us is: How can I stay healthy, well and functionally independent as long as possible up to the time of death? Simply stated -How can I improve both the quality and quantity of my life to the very end? As we enter the 21St Century, we as a society will be forced to consider this ancient question as never before. We are living at a critical point in history in which five demographic conditions never before seen will force us to make critical decisions concerning massive societal changes. 1. Never before in history have we lived chronologically longer lives. The U.S. Administration on Aging states, "Globally, we are witnessing one of society's greatest achievements-an extension of human longevity more dramatic than in the preceding 4,500 years. Advancements in medicine, public health and technology will make it even more commonplace for people to live 80, 90, or 100 or more years." (AoA, Ref #1) According to the U.S. Census, the number of people aged 100 or above, "centenarians," increased dramatically from 37,306 in 1990 to 50,545 in 2000, a 35% increase over the last decade. (AoA, Ref #2) In Orange County the projected growth between the year 2000 and 2020 is most dramatic for the 95+ population with an increase of 234%. Life expectancy in the United States in 1900 was only 49 years as compared to 76.9 years in 2000. In 2000, a person who was 65 had an average life expectancy of 17.9 years (19.2 years for females and 16.3 years for males). In North Carolina the life expectancy is 75.6 years and a person who was 65 had an average life expectancy of 17.1 years, a little less than the national figure. 2. Never before in history have we seen such an explosion in the sheer numbers of older persons. The older population is the fastest growing segment in the United States today and in the foreseeable future. According to the United Nations Population Division, "The number of persons age 60 or older (world wide) is estimated to be nearly 600 million in 1999, and is projected to grow to almost 2 billion by 2050, at which time the population of older persons will be larger than the population of children (0-14) for the first time in human history." (UN,1999, Ref #15) This population shift will have an impact on the caregiving of tomorrow, especially on women who have been the primary caregivers. Women today and in the future can count on caring for older Page 1 of 18