By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein joined the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Thursday to recognize older adults in the state, his office said.
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During the event at the North Carolina Executive Mansion in Raleigh, according to his office, Stein proclaimed May as Older Americans Month.
According to the governor’s office, nearly one in five North Carolina resident is 65 or older. By 2050, the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging reported the state’s population aged 65 or older will grow from two million to more than three million, an increase of more than 50%.
“We are committed to supporting all North Carolinians through all phases of life, including more than 2 million people in our state who are 65 and older,” NCDHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai said in a statement.
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“Through investments in financial security, health, caregiving, and inclusive communities, we are building a better North Carolina where people of all ages can optimize brain health, physical health and overall wellbeing,” he continued in his statement.
State officials said the NCDHHS has created the All Ages, All Stages initiative, a 10-year program intended to prepare North Carolina for rapid population aging by creating and providing coordinated agencies, communities, and services across people’s lifespans.
“Older adults want the same things that all North Carolinians do — to live happy, healthy lives,” Stein said in a statement. “DHHS’ All Ages, All Stages initiative reminds us that all North Carolinians have a role to play in looking out for one another. The plan is focused on supporting older adults and their families, optimizing health and well-being, and, ultimately, strengthening communities for a lifetime.”
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