News Release

Governor Easley Declares Healthy Aging Month in North Carolina

September 14, 2002
Press Release provided by the Older Adult Health Unit, Dept. of Health and Human Services

Governor Mike Easley issued a Healthy Aging Proclamation for the month of September 2002. In his proclamation the governor urges all civic, scientific, medical, educational, voluntary, governmental, and health care organizations and professionals to recognize the importance of healthy aging. He cites that healthy aging begins with good health information and its dissemination as well as health promotion and disease prevention activities for older North Carolinians.

"Healthy aging is of particular importance to North Carolinians because we are living longer and enjoying life with second careers and volunteer activities," Governor Easley said. "Our older population increased by over 20 percent between 1990 and 2000, far higher than the annual rate of twelve percent nationally. And the number of persons 65 and older is expected to more than double in the next 20 years," he added.

To implement healthy aging in North Carolina, the N. C. Division of Public Health, Older Adult Health Branch initiated a grant proposal that allows $10,000 of federal money to promote a statewide healthy aging campaign.

The grant objectives are to foster and expand the collaboration between the state health and the state aging agencies in order to enhance the delivery of effective health promotion/disease prevention programs for older adults in North Carolina. Another objective is to encourage existing and new partnerships with state and local public and private organizations to collaborate on healthy aging initiatives and to initiate a healthy aging campaign in the state to increase public awareness of the importance of healthy aging including: physical activity every day; a nutritious diet, preventive screenings for disease; making healthy choices including avoiding tobacco and drugs and the abuse of alcohol; and to provide information and resources to health and aging service providers to enable them to promote healthy aging.

Region L Area Agency on Aging has been selected as a pilot agent to conduct a healthy aging program needs assessment. This area includes: Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Northampton, and Wilson counties. Heather Proctor is the director of the Region L Area Agency on Aging.

Read the Governor's Proclamation