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