Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SR0214

SR0214 LRB104 13050 ECR 24914 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Family caregivers of all ages and the direct-care workforce provide critical support and services that promote the well-being and enhance the quality of life of the State's older adults and those with chronic illnesses and disabilities; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition is a diverse, statewide, nonpartisan group made up of more than 400 members, including family caregivers and aging/disability community partners and leaders from AARP Illinois, the Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter, Rush University, Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, the Coordinated Care Alliance, and many more; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition is led by the Illinois Area Agencies on Aging, representing the network of State Caregiver Resource Centers that serve family caregivers throughout Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition aims to support unpaid family caregivers and to serve as their voice in Springfield and Washington, D.C. to improve programs, services, and resources for these unsung heroes; and

WHEREAS, AARP Illinois estimates that approximately 1.3 million Illinois residents serve as unpaid family caregivers for their loved ones, providing an estimated $21 billion in unpaid care annually; family caregivers provide a broad range of assistance, including helping with personal care, medical/nursing tasks, medication management, care coordination, transportation, and financial support; and

WHEREAS, In 2021, the estimated economic value of family caregivers' unpaid contributions nationally was approximately $600 billion, a figure based on about 38 million caregivers providing an average of 18 hours of care per week for a total of 36 billion hours of care at an average value of $16.59 per hour; and

WHEREAS, The responsibilities of family caregiving often lead to physical, emotional, and financial challenges, and many caregivers report difficulty maintaining their own health and well-being; the number of family caregivers continues to grow as our population ages, with more than one in five Americans now serving as caregivers; and

WHEREAS, Family caregivers increasingly include younger generations, with 29% being millennials or Gen Zers, highlighting the changing demographics of caregiving; and

WHEREAS, Family caregivers often must balance employment with their caregiving responsibilities, leading to workplace challenges and economic impacts; supporting family caregivers is vital to maintaining our healthcare system and ensuring quality care for our most vulnerable residents; and

WHEREAS, In February 2025, the Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition, led by the Illinois Area Agencies on Aging and Illinois AARP, created the first-ever Illinois legislative Caregiving Caucus, inviting all State legislators and coalition members to participate; and

WHEREAS, Across the country, November is recognized as National Family Caregiver Month, serving as a time to elevate the voices of America's 53 million family caregivers; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare November 2025 as Family Caregiver Month in the State of Illinois.