093_HJ0014

 
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 1                       HOUSE 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  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
22    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
23    SENATE  CONCURRING  HEREIN,  that  the  Illinois  Legislative
24    Alzheimer's Disease Task Force is created, to  consist  of  8
25    members   of  the  Illinois  General  Assembly  appointed  as
26    follows: 2 members of the Senate appointed by  the  President
27    of  the  Senate,  one  of  whom shall serve as co-chairman; 2
28    members of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the
29    Senate; 2 members of the House of  Representatives  appointed
30    by  the  Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom
31    shall serve as co-chairman; and 2 members  of  the  House  of
 
                            -2-      LRB093 02614 DRJ 02624 r
 1    Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House
 2    of  Representatives;  all  Task  Force  members  shall  serve
 3    without  compensation  but  shall  be  reimbursed  for  their
 4    reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for
 5    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.