Full Text of HJR0055 96th General Assembly
HJ0055enr 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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HJ0055 Enrolled |
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| HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 55
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| WHEREAS, An estimated 210,000 Illinoisans have Alzheimer's | 3 |
| or a related dementia disorder, with the likelihood of being | 4 |
| afflicted rising with age; it is believed that almost 50% of | 5 |
| individuals age 85 and older will have Alzheimer's; these | 6 |
| estimates do not include individuals with other dementia | 7 |
| disorders; and
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| WHEREAS, Alzheimer's has no respect for bravery, courage, | 9 |
| and service, affecting roughly 55,000 of the State's veterans | 10 |
| 65 years of age and older, with 40% over the age of 85; those | 11 |
| with other dementia disorders are not included in these | 12 |
| numbers; and
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| WHEREAS, While one in four Illinois families are caring for | 14 |
| a loved one with Alzheimer's in their home, most families are | 15 |
| forced to seek residential programs as the disease progresses; | 16 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, The State has few alternatives for families | 18 |
| seeking residential care for a family member with dementia, | 19 |
| although Illinois has repeatedly studied the issue with task | 20 |
| force reports calling for services to be put in place issued as | 21 |
| far back as 1986; and
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HJ0055 Enrolled |
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| WHEREAS, For those who can afford private-pay market-rate | 2 |
| services, 80 of the licensed assisted living facilities in | 3 |
| Illinois have dedicated Alzheimer's units; and
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| WHEREAS, For most Illinois families, private-pay assisted | 5 |
| living facilities are financially outside their means; and
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| WHEREAS, These market-rate programs report countless calls | 7 |
| from families desperate to find a solution for their loved one, | 8 |
| but who clearly cannot afford market-rate care; they also | 9 |
| report that it is not uncommon for residents to have to leave | 10 |
| their programs for Medicaid-funded nursing home beds, because | 11 |
| they have spent down all their resources; and
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| WHEREAS, The State has 147 nursing homes with dedicated | 13 |
| Alzheimer's units, yet most individuals with Alzheimer's do not | 14 |
| have complex medical needs that require 24-hour skilled nursing | 15 |
| care; and
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| WHEREAS, For many moderate and low-income families, who can | 17 |
| no longer care for their loved ones at home, a Medicaid nursing | 18 |
| home bed is the only solution that they can afford; and
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| WHEREAS, Neither of Illinois' existing subsidized | 20 |
| affordable assisted living type programs include Alzheimer's | 21 |
| dedicated units, although the Supportive Living Facilities |
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HJ0055 Enrolled |
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| have filed rules to create a demonstration project; and | 2 |
| WHEREAS, A similar program at the Illinois Department on | 3 |
| Aging - Comprehensive Care In Residential Settings - could | 4 |
| allow dementia programs; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 6 |
| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | 7 |
| SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the State of Illinois may | 8 |
| establish an affordable Alzheimer's housing-with-services | 9 |
| program that builds off existing programs; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That existing assisted living dedicated | 11 |
| Alzheimer's programs be considered for participation and that | 12 |
| nursing homes be encouraged to convert a distinct portion of | 13 |
| their facilities to Alzheimer's dedicated | 14 |
| housing-with-services units; and be it further | 15 |
| RESOLVED, That the program be designed to permit the State | 16 |
| to access federal matching funds.
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