093_SJ0016

 
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 1                       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS,   Alzheimer's   disease   is    a    progressive
 3    degenerative  disease  of  the  brain  that  affects numerous
 4    Illinois citizens; and

 5        WHEREAS, Over 200,000 citizens of Illinois are  afflicted
 6    with  Alzheimer's  disease; 10% of persons over the age of 65
 7    and nearly 50% of persons over the age of 85 suffer from  the
 8    disease;   over  50%  of  all  nursing  home  residents  have
 9    Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia; and

10        WHEREAS, 70% of people with Alzheimer's disease  live  at
11    home,  and  75%  of these individuals depend upon the care of
12    family and friends; frequently, the family caregivers' health
13    is compromised due to the stress of providing care; and

14        WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease  is  extremely  costly;  the
15    average  lifetime cost of Alzheimer's disease is $174,000 per
16    person; the cost of home care can exceed $18,000 per year and
17    the cost of nursing home care averages $42,000 per year; and

18        WHEREAS, A  significant  function  of  government  is  to
19    promote  the  health,  safety,  and  welfare of its citizens;
20    therefore, be it

21        RESOLVED, BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL
22    ASSEMBLY   OF   THE   STATE   OF   ILLINOIS,   THE  HOUSE  OF
23    REPRESENTATIVES  CONCURRING   HEREIN,   that   the   Illinois
24    Legislative  Alzheimer's  Disease  Task  Force is created, to
25    consist  of  8  members  of  the  Illinois  General  Assembly
26    appointed as follows: 2 members of the  Senate  appointed  by
27    the  President  of  the  Senate,  one  of whom shall serve as
28    co-chairman;  2  members  of  the  Senate  appointed  by  the
29    Minority Leader of the Senate; 2  members  of  the  House  of
30    Representatives  appointed  by  the  Speaker  of the House of
31    Representatives, one of whom shall serve as co-chairman;  and
 
                            -2-      LRB093 02615 DRJ 02625 r
 1    2  members  of  the House of Representatives appointed by the
 2    Minority Leader of the House  of  Representatives;  all  Task
 3    Force  members  shall serve without compensation but shall be
 4    reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary  expenses  from
 5    funds appropriated for that purpose; and be it further

 6        RESOLVED,  That the mission of the Task Force shall be to
 7    help optimize the quality of life for people who suffer  from
 8    Alzheimer's  disease  and  their  families  through advocacy,
 9    education, support, and services,  while  actively  promoting
10    research  to  eliminate  the  disease;  the  Task Force shall
11    examine,  along  with  any  other  issues   it   chooses   to
12    investigate   with   respect   to  Alzheimer's  disease,  the
13    following issues: (1) the disease's  facts,  prevalence,  and
14    costs;  (2) the financial barriers to essential care; (3) the
15    continuum of care, including medical assessment or diagnosis,
16    drug  therapy,  caregiver  training  and  support,  home  and
17    community based care, adult day  services,  residential  care
18    options,   and   hospice  care;  and  (4)  the  training  and
19    qualifications  of  those  who  work  with  individuals  with
20    Alzheimer's disease; and be it further

21        RESOLVED,  That  the  Task  Force   shall   receive   the
22    assistance  of  legislative staff, may employ skilled experts
23    with the approval of the President of the Senate,  and  shall
24    report  its  findings  to  the  General Assembly on or before
25    December 1, 2003.