Follow older people’s long step

[keannu]

The answer is 5, but 2 also seems to be the answer,it's confusing. What do you think is the main idea?
Does it emphasize the importance of respecting older people's way of life or respecting the elders who have manged to live long?
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What is the main idea of the passage ?
In the near future, older people will become the norm rather than the exception. More than half of today’s baby boomers will live past age 85, but unless they take the proper steps, many of them will bear a heavy burden of chronic disease along the way. Enjoying the longer life afforded to us by new public health measures and technology means maintaining a high standard of health and independence for many more years than most people ever anticipated. Centenarians, who represent the gold standard for aging well, should be society's role models. They are our “resident experts," who can help shape the way we live. People who are serious about remaining productive, enjoying life, and managing health care costs must learn to follow their admittedly long steps.

➀ Live a long life for social benefits ➁ Follow older people’s long steps
➂ Try to be society’s role models ➃ Respect the centenarians’ longevity
➄ Apply the centenarians’ longevity lessons to our own lives

 

[Raymott]

The answer is 5 (or 2, as you say), assuming that the writer thinks it's good for people to live to 100 plus - and he does seem to think this. It's a confused paragraph, because the writer believes that quantity of life, rather than quality, is the "gold standard". He's also making a leap of logic in inferring that old people have managed health care costs, and can teach us something about to do this.

On the other hand, certain philosophers make cogent points for "an obligation of old people to die" sometime.