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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, A Duke Divinity School survey found that only 50%
3of African Americans have talked with family members about
4their end-of-life care, and 20% have never discussed
5end-of-life wishes with anyone; and
 
6    WHEREAS, It is imperative to empower our vulnerable
7communities with information so they can make better decisions
8when planning for the end of life and have candid conversations
9with friends, family, faith leaders and medical providers about
10end-of-life care before a time of crisis; and
 
11    WHEREAS, A 2016 study in the Journal of Palliative Medicine
12reported that only 24% of African Americans were likely to have
13completed advance directives, compared with 44% of their white
14peers; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Advance healthcare directives are state-specific
16free legal documents created so an individual can choose
17medical treatment options in case one is unable to make
18decisions because of illness or infirmity and can appoint a
19healthcare proxy to speak on one's behalf; and
 
20    WHEREAS, According to the National Hospice and Palliative
21Care Association, only 8% of hospice users are African

 

 

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1American; hospice care is a health service that provides
2comfort care to patients, in-home or at a facility, in their
3final phase of illness or within six months of death; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Hospice care should be accessed as early as
5possible as there is an emphasis on patient support and the
6entire spectrum of improved quality of life; hospice staff and
7caregivers provide holistic care rather than a curative
8emphasis; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Palliative care is a compassionate
10interdisciplinary approach between doctors, nurses, faith
11leaders, and other medical professionals that provides
12specialized medical and nursing care for people with chronic
13and terminal illnesses; the ultimate goal is to improve the
14quality of life for the patient and their support network by
15focusing on providing pain relief and physical and mental
16stress support at any stage of illness; and
 
17    WHEREAS, According to a 2016 study from the University of
18Iowa and the University of California, African Americans are
19significantly less likely to be prescribed opioids for back
20pain and abdominal pain compared to white peers, and African
21American patients are more likely to have their pain
22underestimated and undertreated; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, According to the National Center for Health, just
213% of African Americans have a living will in place compared
3with 32% of whites, and African Americans are less likely to
4purchase long-term care insurance, term life insurance, whole
5life insurance, disability insurance, and homeowners insurance
6or to complete estate planning; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Wills and trusts are vital components of estate
8planning and should be considered in end-of-life discussions;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, From the refusal of treatment to aggressive
11treatment options, having an understanding of the entire
12spectrum of care options is critical in order to make informed
13healthcare decisions; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Being equipped with treatment-option information
15and illness-specific questions for medical professionals
16during appointments can empower our vulnerable communities to
17advocate for themselves; therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
19HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
20we must be proactive in educating, empowering, and advocating
21for those at the end of life; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That we encourage charting one's end-of-life
2journey, consistent with one's own wishes and values, and
3having those very important discussions with loved ones; and be
4it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That we urge Congress to enact legislation that
6would encourage Medicare and Medicaid to take meaningful steps
7toward identifying and educating vulnerable populations that
8are nearing the end of life; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
10delivered to the President of the United States, the Vice
11President of the United States, members of the United States
12House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and
13other federal and state government officials and agencies as
14appropriate.