HR0572LRB097 13920 KXB 58507 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The AARP Public Policy Institute reports there are
3an estimated 61.6 million family caregivers of older adults
4nationwide, including 1,660,000 in Illinois; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Caregivers provide 80% of long-term care, valued
6at $450 billion; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The Family and Work Institute reports 42% of U.S.
8workers in the last 5 years have had elder care
9responsibilities and 49% expect to care for older family
10members or friends in the next 5 years; and
 
11    WHEREAS, The MetLife Mature Market Institute reports 25% of
12adult children, an estimated 836,021 adults ages 45-64 in
13Illinois, provide care for a parent; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The total estimated aggregate lost wages,
15pension, and Social Security benefits of caregivers of parents
16is nearly $3 trillion; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Caregiving sons and daughters provide comparable
18care in many respects, but daughters are more likely to provide
19basic care and sons are more likely to provide financial
20assistance; and
 

 

 

HR0572- 2 -LRB097 13920 KXB 58507 r

1    WHEREAS, The total cost impact of caregiving on the
2individual female caregiver in terms of lost wages, Social
3Security benefits, and pensions equals $324,044; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The total cost impact of caregiving on the
5individual male caregiver in terms of lost wages, Social
6Security benefits, and pensions equals $283,716; and
 
7    WHEREAS, For men and women ages 50 and over, the total
8individual amount of lost wages, Social Security benefits, and
9pensions because of caregiving responsibilities averages
10$303,880; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Caregivers are twice as likely to report fair or
12poor health; up to 70% of caregivers of older adults have
13clinical depression; and one quarter to one-half meet major
14depression criteria; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Twenty-seven percent of caregivers report a
16moderate to high degree of financial hardship due to
17caregiving; and
 
18    WHEREAS, U.S. businesses lose an estimated $33.6 billion a
19year in productivity from employees who are caregivers full
20time, at an average of $2,110 per person; and
 

 

 

HR0572- 3 -LRB097 13920 KXB 58507 r

1    WHEREAS, Nearly 5 million children nationwide live in
2grandparent-headed households; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The 2010 U.S. Census reports 318,042 Illinois
4children under age 18 living in homes where the householders
5are grandparents or other relatives; of these, 236,424 live
6with grandparents who are the householders; and
 
7    WHEREAS, In Illinois, 109,939 children live in homes where
8grandparents are responsible for them; and of these children,
935,583 have no parents present in the home; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In Illinois, 99,783 grandparents are householders
11responsible for grandchildren living with them; of these, 20%
12live in poverty (at or below 100% of the federal poverty
13level); and
 
14    WHEREAS, Grandparents and other relatives raising children
15face legal, financial, and emotional challenges, as well as
16difficulty navigating public benefits and school systems; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The year 2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the
18National Family Caregivers Support Program, authorized and
19funded under the federal Older Americans Act; and
 

 

 

HR0572- 4 -LRB097 13920 KXB 58507 r

1    WHEREAS, Since 2001, the Illinois Aging Network, which
2includes the Illinois Department on Aging, 13 Area Agencies on
3Aging, and community-based agencies, have provided vital
4services for caregivers, including: information and
5assistance, counseling, support groups, legal assistance,
6training and education, and respite services for families
7caring for older adults and grandparents and other relatives
8raising children; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Since the economic downturn began in late 2007,
10Area Agencies on Aging have received a 67% increase in requests
11for caregiver support services; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we honor Illinoisans caring for older adults who are no longer
15able to care for themselves, and grandparents and other
16relatives raising children, especially during National Family
17Caregivers Month, November of 2011; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That we recognize Illinois caregivers for
19demonstrating extraordinary love, dedication, and courage in
20fostering the development of children and helping older adults
21and persons with disabilities to maintain their dignity and
22autonomy, and maximize their abilities at home and in long-term
23care facilities; and be it further
 

 

 

HR0572- 5 -LRB097 13920 KXB 58507 r

1    RESOLVED, That we commend the Illinois Aging Network,
2including the Illinois Department on Aging, the 13 Area
3Agencies on Aging, and community-based agencies for providing
4essential services to ensure that caregivers are able to
5continue providing care.