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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the enactment
3of the Older Americans Act of 1965; during the past 50 years,
4the implementation of the Older Americans Act of 1965 has
5contributed to the economic well-being of millions of older
6Americans and has improved the quality of life for those
7individuals; and
 
8    WHEREAS, One of the key elements contributing to the
9successful implementation of the Older Americans Act of 1965
10has been the establishment of an aging network composed of
11local area agencies on aging, providers of congregate and
12home-delivered nutrition, and many other community service
13providers; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The United States Department of Health and Human
15Services' Administration on Aging was created by the Older
16Americans Act of 1965; the agency has been empowered to act as
17an effective advocate for the concerns and needs of older
18individuals; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The Older Americans Act of 1965 serves as a model
20for the development of community-based services, including
21services that provide alternatives to the institutionalization
22of older individuals; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Some of the programs authorized under the Older
2Americans Act of 1965 were created to address the specific
3concerns of those older Americans with the greatest social and
4economic needs, especially minority older Americans; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Many services under the Older Americans Act of
61965, including long-term care ombudsman and legal services
7providers, have acted as powerful advocates for older
8individuals; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Services authorized under the Older Americans Act
10of 1965 have also provided important part-time community
11service employment opportunities for low-income older
12individuals; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Many older individuals, and those who serve them,
14have benefited greatly from the research, training, and
15education that programs established under the Older Americans
16Act of 1965 have provided; and
 
17    WHEREAS, During Fiscal Year 2015, Illinois Area Agencies on
18Aging will serve an estimated 515,700 persons 60 and over,
19accounting for 22% of the 2.3 million seniors in Illinois; the
20agencies will also develop and coordinate comprehensive
21systems of home and community-based services to enable older

 

 

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1adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities to live in the
2least restrictive setting and avoid unnecessary hospital
3readmissions and placements in long term care facilities; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Thirteen Area Agencies on Aging in Illinois
5collaborate with 179 provider agencies to provide a myriad of
6home and community-based services for older adults and their
7caregivers, including information and assistance for older
8adults to help them make informed decisions about programs,
9benefits, and services and live independently for as long as
10possible, transportation programs, in-home services,
11home-delivered meals, congregate meals, Multi-Purpose Senior
12Centers, recreation programs, legal assistance, health
13promotion and disease prevention, and evidence-based health
14promotion programs; and
 
15    WHEREAS, In recognition of the changing needs of a rapidly
16aging society, the Older Americans Act of 1965 has been
17periodically amended and reauthorized; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Older Americans Act of 1965 served as the
19foundation for an effective human services policy for millions
20of Americans as the United States entered the 21st century;
21therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE

 

 

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1NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
2affirm our support for the Older Americans Act of 1965 and the
3primary goals of the Act of providing services to maintain the
4dignity of older Illinoisans and promoting the independence of
5those individuals; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That we urge Congress to reauthorize the Older
7Americans Act of 1965 without delay and with adequate funding
8to reflect the growing populations of Americans who benefit
9from the Act's programs and services; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
11delivered to the President and Vice President of the United
12States, the Speaker of the United States House of
13Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States
14Senate, and the members of the Illinois congressional
15delegation.