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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 43
2
(As Amended by Senate Amendment No. 1)

 
3     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a slow, progressive
4 disorder of the brain that results in loss of memory and other
5 cognitive function and eventually results in death; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Because Alzheimer's is accompanied by memory
7 loss, poor judgment, changes in personality and behavior, and a
8 tendency to wander, individuals with this disease are at
9 increased risk for accidental injury, getting lost, abuse,
10 neglect, and exploitation; and
 
11     WHEREAS, With one in 10 people over age 65 and almost one
12 in every 2 people over 85 having Alzheimer's disease or a
13 related dementia, over the past 10 years, the number of
14 Illinoisans with Alzheimer's and related dementias has risen
15 dramatically to the point that today over 210,000 people are
16 affected; and
 
17     WHEREAS, As the baby boom generation enters the age of
18 greatest risk for Alzheimer's, by 2025 their number in Illinois
19 is expected to increase to over 239,000; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease takes an enormous toll on
21 loving family members, with an estimated one in 4 acting as

 

 

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1 caregivers for each individual with the disease; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's watch
3 closely the deleterious effects of the disease and often suffer
4 more stress, depression, and health problems than caregivers of
5 people with other illnesses; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is considered to be early
7 onset if an individual is younger than 65 when symptoms first
8 appear, and early onset Alzheimer's can strike someone as early
9 as their 30s, 40s, and 50s, with new data showing there may be
10 half a million Americans under age 65 who have dementia or
11 cognitive impairment at a level of severity consistent with
12 dementia; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act created
14 the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee composed of 21
15 members to review all State programs and services provided by
16 State agencies that are directed toward persons with
17 Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and to recommend
18 changes to improve the State's response to this serious health
19 problem; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The 93rd General Assembly created the Legislative
21 Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease pursuant to House Joint
22 Resolution 14; that task force conducted hearings which

 

 

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1 included each of the State agencies having primary
2 responsibility for implementing the "Alzheimer's Initiative"
3 of the 84th General Assembly when this matter was given a high
4 priority nearly 20 years ago; the agencies were instructed to
5 provide an update on the progress made in implementing that
6 initiative to determine whether the programs and services
7 developed by State agencies reflect the original priority; the
8 reports of the agencies did not demonstrate any particular
9 progress, nor priority commensurate with the original interest
10 and intent of the General Assembly; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The 93rd General Assembly Legislative Task Force
12 on Alzheimer's Disease recommended that the function of the
13 statutory Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee should be
14 expanded to include oversight and evaluation of the services
15 provided by the various State agencies and to solicit
16 additional findings and recommendations for improving State
17 programs and services; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois must not be complacent and
19 must renew its commitment to develop a more aggressive State
20 plan to ensure that the framework of programs and services to
21 help Illinoisans with Alzheimer's and other related dementia
22 are functioning and capable of meeting the challenge of this
23 serious public health problem among Illinoisans; therefore, be
24 it
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
2 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
3 CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Department of Public Health
4 immediately comply with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act
5 in activating the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee and
6 ensuring that it fulfills the requirement of reviewing all
7 State programs and services provided by State agencies directed
8 toward persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
9 and recommending changes to improve the State's response to
10 this serious health problem; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That the Department of Public Health, in
12 conjunction with the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee,
13 assess the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease on
14 the people of this State, examine the existing services and
15 resources addressing the needs of persons with Alzheimer's,
16 their families, and caregivers, and develop a strategy to
17 implement an Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia
18 State Plan in response to this public health crisis; and be it
19 further
 
20     RESOLVED, That the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee
21 shall include in its Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related
22 Dementia State Plan an examination of the following:
23         (1) trends in the State Alzheimer's population and

 

 

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1     needs, including the changing population with dementia,
2     including but not limited to:
3             (a) the State role in long-term care, family
4         caregiver support and assistance to persons with
5         early-stage and early on-set Alzheimer's;
6             (b) State policy regarding persons with
7         Alzheimer's and developmental disabilities;
8         (2) existing services, resources, and capacity,
9     including but not limited to:
10             (a) the type, cost, and availability of dementia
11         services;
12             (b) the capacity of public safety and law
13         enforcement to respond to persons with Alzheimer's;
14             (c) the availability of home and community-based
15         resources for persons with Alzheimer's and respite
16         care to assist families;
17             (d) an inventory of long-term care special
18         dementia care units;
19             (e) the adequacy and appropriateness of
20         geriatric-psychiatric units for persons with behavior
21         disorders associated with Alzheimer's and related
22         dementias;
23             (f) assisted living residential options for
24         persons with dementia;
25             (g) State support of Alzheimer's research through
26         Illinois universities and other resources;

 

 

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1         (3) needed State policies and responses, including,
2     but not limited to recommendations for the provision of
3     clear and coordinated services and support to persons and
4     families living with Alzheimer's and related disorders and
5     ways to address any identified gaps in service; and be it
6     further
 
7     RESOLVED, That the Department on Aging, in cooperation with
8 the Department of Public Health and the Department of
9 Healthcare and Family Services, shall provide support staff to
10 the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee and shall be
11 responsible for preparing any necessary materials and reports
12 in conjunction with the work of the Committee; and be it
13 further
 
14     RESOLVED, That the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee
15 shall provide an Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementia
16 State Plan to the Governor and the General Assembly no later
17 than January 1, 2009; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19 delivered to the Governor, the Director of Aging, the Director
20 of Public Health, and the Director of Healthcare and Family
21 Services.