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CSSCR 13(HSS): Supporting senior caregivers and encouraging the Department of Health and Social Services to provide additional education on the effects of aging and the importance of senior caregivers.

00 CS FOR SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 13(HSS) 01 Supporting senior caregivers and encouraging the Department of Health and Social 02 Services to provide additional education on the effects of aging and the importance of 03 senior caregivers. 04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 WHEREAS, every day, an estimated 23 people in Alaska turn 60; and 06 WHEREAS an estimated 52,620 people, or 7.5 percent of the state's population, are 07 65 years of age or older; and 08 WHEREAS the population in the state that is 65 years of age or older is expected to 09 increase by 155 percent in the next 20 years to 134,391 in 2030; and 10 WHEREAS the population in the state that is 85 years of age or older is projected to 11 reach 12,476 in 2030; and 12 WHEREAS approximately 5,700 people who are 65 years of age or older and 7,190 13 people who are 55 years of age or older in the state have Alzheimer's disease or a related 14 disorder, and it is estimated that 14,170 people will have Alzheimer's disease or a related 15 disorder by 2030; and

01 WHEREAS 70 percent of people with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder live at 02 home and need assistance with activities of daily living; and 03 WHEREAS more than 25 percent of all seniors need some level of assistance with 04 activities of daily living; and 05 WHEREAS, in order to address the surging population of seniors who have 06 significant needs for in-home care, the field of senior caregiving will continue to grow; and 07 WHEREAS an estimated 14,539 adults in the state provide care to individuals with 08 Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder, which equates to an estimated 12,000,000 hours and 09 an approximated value of $140,000,000 each year; and 10 WHEREAS an estimated 96,800 adults in the state provide care to adult relatives or 11 friends, and an estimated 1,595 adults provide paid senior care to nonrelatives; and 12 WHEREAS the longer seniors are able to provide for themselves, the less the public 13 payment systems supported by state and federal governments are burdened; 14 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature 15 (1) recognizes senior caregiving as a profession; 16 (2) supports the private home care industry and the efforts of family caregivers 17 statewide by encouraging individuals to provide care to family, friends, and neighbors; 18 (3) encourages accessible and affordable care for seniors; 19 (4) will review state policies and support current state programs that address 20 the needs of seniors and senior caregivers; 21 (5) encourages the Department of Health and Social Services to continue to 22 provide additional education on the effects of aging and the importance and availability of 23 senior caregivers to meet personal needs.