Education for longer life involves three major areas of focus: attitudes, aging processes, and issues of an aging society. Below are learning objectives that can serve as guides for developing curriculum and instructional materials.

• Perceive longer life as an opportunity for continuous growth and development, not simply as a late life process of decline.
• Recognize the unique individuality of all people as they grow and mature.
• Appreciate the roles that older people can and do play as human resources in service to others.
• Understand ageism and the harmful consequences of age prejudice and discrimination.
• Recognize that the quality of life for people of all ages depends largely on choices made by the individual and the society.

• Comprehend aging as a continuous life-long process of growing up and becoming older.
• Recognize one’s own potential for long life.
• Understand the aging process as a complex interaction of genetic, life style, and environmental factors.
• Recognize that personal choices about mental and physical health habits affect the quality and length of life.
• Recognize that the way people age involves a complex interplay of physical, psychological, and social factors.
• Understand the relativity of the terms "young" and "old."

• Understand that advances in nutrition, medicine, and health care have made it possible for most people to live longer lives.
• Know that growing longevity is increasing the number and percentage of older people in the population.
• Recognize that an aging population creates changing economic and social circumstances which demand intelligent and informal decisions by individuals and society.
• Understand that growing longevity presents opportunities and challenges.
• Appreciate that individuals and society can alter their behavior and policies in ways that improve the quality of life for all generations.
• Understand that positive relationships are necessary to meet the demands of multigenerational families and societies.