(320 ILCS 65/5)

Sec. 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly recognizes the following:

(1) Family caregivers, serving without compensation, have been the mainstay of the long-term care system in this country. Care provided by these informal caregivers is the most crucial factor in avoiding or postponing institutionalization of the State's residents.

(2) Among non-institutionalized persons needing assistance with personal care needs, two-thirds depend solely on family and friends for assistance. Another 25% supplement family care with services from paid providers. Only a little more than 5% rely exclusively on paid services.

(3) Family caregivers are frequently under substantial physical, psychological, and financial stress. Unrelieved by support services available to the caregiver, this stress may lead to premature or unnecessary institutionalization of the care recipient or deterioration in the health condition and family circumstances of the caregiver.

(4) Two out of 3 family caregivers, due to being employed outside the home, experience additional stress. Two-thirds of working caregivers report conflicts between work and caregiving, requiring them to rearrange their work schedules, work fewer than normal hours, or take an unpaid leave of absence. For this population, caregiver support services have the added benefit of allowing family caregivers to remain active members of our State's workforce.

(Source: P.A. 93-864, eff. 8-5-04.)