SJ0043 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a slow, progressive disorder of the brain that results in loss of memory and other cognitive functions and, eventually, results in death; and

WHEREAS, Because Alzheimer's is accompanied by memory loss, poor judgment, changes in personality and behavior, and a tendency to wander, individuals with this disease are at increased risk for accidental injury, getting lost, abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and

WHEREAS, With one in 10 people over age 65 and almost one in every two people over 85 having Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, over the past 10 years the number of Illinoisans with Alzheimer's and related dementias has risen dramatically to the point that today over 210,000 people are affected; and

WHEREAS, As the baby boom generation enters the age of greatest risk for Alzheimer's, by 2025 their number in Illinois is expected to increase to over 239,000; and

WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on loving family members, with an estimated one in four acting as a caregiver for each individual with the disease; and

WHEREAS, Caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's watch closely the deleterious effects of the disease and often suffer more stress, depression, and health problems than caregivers of people with other illnesses; and

WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is considered to be early onset if an individual is younger than 65 when symptoms first appear, and early onset Alzheimer's can strike someone as early as their 30s, 40s, and 50s, with new data showing there may be half a million Americans under age 65 who have dementia or cognitive impairment at a level of severity consistent with dementia; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has convened the Legislative Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease pursuant to House Joint Resolution 14 (93rd General Assembly); and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois must not be complacent and must renew its commitment to develop a more aggressive State plan to ensure that the framework of programs and services to help Illinoisans with Alzheimer's and other related dementia are functioning and capable of meeting the challenge of this serious public health problem among Illinoisans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan Council is created, to consist of the following: 8 members of the Illinois General Assembly appointed as follows: 2 members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall serve as co-chairman; 2 members of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; 2 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall serve as co-chairman; and 2 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; the Director of the Illinois Department on Aging (or his or her designee); the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (or his or her designee); the Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (or his or her designee); and 8 members of the public appointed by the Governor, to include a representative of the Alzheimer's Association, a caregiver for a person with Alzheimer's Disease, and a person with early-stage Alzheimer's disease; Advisory Council members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan Council is directed to assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease on Illinoisans, to examine the existing services and resources addressing the needs of persons with Alzheimer's and their families and caregivers, and to prepare, and develop a strategy to implement, an Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan in response to this public health crisis; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan Council shall include in its Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan an examination of the following:

(1) trends in the State's Alzheimer's population and their needs, including the changing population with dementia, including but not limited to:

(A) the State's role in long-term care, family caregiver support, and assistance to persons with early-stage and early onset Alzheimer's; and

(B) the State's policy regarding persons with Alzheimer's and developmental disabilities;

(2) existing services, resources, and capacity, including but not limited to:

(A) the type, cost, and availability of dementia services;

(B) the capacity of public safety and law enforcement to respond to persons with Alzheimer's;

(C) the availability of home and community-based resources for persons with Alzheimer's and respite care to assist families;

(D) an inventory of long-term care special dementia care units;

(E) the adequacy and appropriateness of geriatric-psychiatric units for persons with behavior disorders associated with Alzheimer's and related dementias;

(F) assisted living residential options for persons with dementia; and

(G) State support of Alzheimer's research through Illinois universities and other resources; and

(3) needed State policies and responses, including, but not limited to, recommendations for provision of clear and coordinated services and support to persons and families living with Alzheimer's and related disorders, and ways to address any identified gaps in service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan Council shall provide an Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia State Plan to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2009; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the Director of Aging, the Director of Public Health, and the Director of Healthcare and Family Services.