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92_HR1102 LRB9218261HShs 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is a progressive 3 degenerative disease of the brain, and the most common form 4 of dementia; it results in impaired thinking and behavior; 5 Alzheimer's disease usually begins gradually, causing a 6 person to forget events and to have difficulty performing 7 familiar tasks; and 8 WHEREAS, How rapidly the disease advances varies from 9 person to person, causing confusion, personality and behavior 10 changes and impaired judgment; communication becomes 11 difficult as the person with Alzheimer's disease struggles to 12 find words, finish thoughts or follow directions; persons 13 with the disease may wander off and get lost, in their own 14 neighborhoods or far from home; eventually, persons with 15 Alzheimer's disease become totally unable to care for 16 themselves; and 17 WHEREAS, Over 200,000 citizens of Illinois are afflicted 18 with Alzheimer's disease; 10% of persons over the age of 65 19 suffer from the disease and nearly 50% of persons over the 20 age of 85 are afflicted; the number is expected to grow to 21 300,000 in just 25 years when the baby boomer generation 22 reaches the age of greatest risk for Alzheimer's disease; and 23 WHEREAS, 70% of people with Alzheimer's disease live at 24 home, and 75% of these individuals depend upon the care of 25 family and friends; frequently, the family caregivers' health 26 is compromised due to the stress of providing care; and 27 WHEREAS, Over 50% of all nursing home residents have 28 Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia; and 29 WHEREAS, Alzheimer's disease is extremely costly; the 30 average lifetime cost of Alzheimer's disease is $174,000 per 31 person; the cost of home care can exceed $12,500 per year and -2- LRB9218261HShs 1 the cost of nursing home care averages $42,000 per year; and 2 WHEREAS, This year marks the 20th anniversary of 3 President Reagan's first proclamation of the month of 4 November as National Alzheimer's Disease Month in order to 5 increase public awareness about Alzheimer's disease and the 6 Alzheimer's Association and stimulate the interest and 7 concern of the American people, which may, in turn, lead to 8 increased research and eventually the discovery of a cure for 9 Alzheimer's disease; therefore, be it 10 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 11 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 12 November, 2002 be recognized as Alzheimer's Disease Month and 13 we encourage Illinoisans to strive to increase awareness 14 about Alzheimer's disease.