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17 <br />Proposal <br />The unprecedented number of older persons with longer life spans, but with more <br />years with disabilities or poor health, will create challenges never before seen in <br />public policy that will impact every institution in society. More demands will likely be <br />placed on the health and retirement systems and other community resources. <br />Therefore, society and especially its governmental and educational <br />institutions, must find new and better ways to support, as well as utilize, the <br />skills of a growing older population. <br />While it seems that health problems and increased costs are inevitable in later life <br />due to disability, mounting evidence (AoA, Ref #10) indicates that one can <br />improve health and delay disability by at least seven years if he/she stops smoking, <br />stays physically active and maintains weight appropriate to height. A 1996 U.S. <br />Surgeon General report found that many diseases and chronic conditions in later <br />life could be prevented, controlled or forestalled by adopting a healthy active <br />lifestyle, specifically moderate exercise done on a regular basis. Yet, it is <br />difficult to convince older persons of the importance of physical activity or get their <br />participation in fitness programs. (AoA, Ref #11) <br />It is imperative that we now begin "Longevity Planning" that focuses on <br />prevention (research, education and services), rather than reaction to these <br />demographic conditions with increases in our current services. <br />How should we respond to these historic age-related trends in our society? How do <br />we prepare for a society of Longevity? <br />First, citizens must receive encouragement and assistance to plan now for a long <br />life. They must begin "Personal Longevity Planning" (Passmore, 2002, Ref #14) <br />or what others refer to as "life course planning." The time is now to begin developing <br />programs and services for future older persons that promote personal responsibility <br />for their health and well-being utilizing their skills and talents. The so-called <br />"retirement planning" concept of the past is no longer appropriate for the future, <br />since many older persons will not choose or be able to retire from work. The <br />opportunity to live a long life carries with it the new responsibility to make healthy <br />lifestyle choices. Society must assist in implementing Personal Longevity Planning <br />that includes health promotion, senior employment and community volunteer <br />options. Collectively, this generation and future ones have the power to <br />increase their own longevity and improve their quality of life until the end of <br />life. <br />Second, the State of North Carolina has an obligation and a responsibility to begin <br />"Societal or Community Longevity Planning" (Passmore, 2002). We must take <br />the lead both locally and statewide through governmental entities and educational <br />systems to identify, promote and offer healthy active life choices for older <br />North Carolinians. Innovative partnerships between academic and community <br />