Letter from Gov. Sonny Perdue
Dear Fellow Georgian:

I am writing you about a very important issue: planning for your future long-term needs. Many people do not like to think about aging, or the possibility that at some time in the future we may not be able to perform such routine tasks as bathing or dressing. But the hard truth is that most of us will need some type of long-term care in our later years. While this is a normal part of ageing, the tragedy is that many of us don't plan for it adequately. When we need long-term care, it can become a crisis for ourselves and our families.

That is why I want to tell you about a new program on which Georgia and the Federal government are collaborating called "Own Your Future." The program's goal is to encourage people between the ages of 45 and 65 to start planning ahead for their future long-term care needs now, instead of waiting until it's too late.

I encourage you to take the first step in the planning process and order the "Long-Term Care Planning Tool Kit" created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You may place an order in one of three ways:

* Call 1-866-PLAN-LTC ( 1 - 8 6 6 - 7 5 2 - 6582);

* Return the p o s t a g e - p a i d reply card attached to the e n c l o s e d brochure; OR

* Log on to http:/www.aoa.gov/ownyourfuture (also available for downloading).

Long -term care needs are best met when they are planned for ahead of time. Please order your free "Long-Term Care Planning Kit" today. It can help you to "Own Your Future" just as it is helping me and my family prepare for ours.