79
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                                
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON AGING TO CONDUCT A
   COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ALL PROGRAMS IN THE STATE FOR, AND
   THE BENEFITS RECEIVED BY, HAWAII'S ELDERS.



 1        WHEREAS, Hawaii has one of the fastest-growing elderly
 2   populations in the country; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, persons sixty years of age and older presently
 5   account for almost one-fifth of the adult population in the
 6   State and by 2020, they will constitute more than one-fourth of
 7   Hawaii's adult population,and nearly one-third of this segment
 8   alone is expected to have functional disabilities; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, even as human longevity is increasing on a global
11   basis due to better nutrition, education, and medical
12   technology, the longevity of Hawaii's elders is among the
13   highest in the nation; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, the needs of Hawaii's elders will continue to
16   grow as the population ages and the cost of nursing home care,
17   currently the highest of all types of long-term care, continues
18   to escalate; and
19   
20        WHEREAS, not only are the elderly affected but Hawaii's
21   citizens, who make up the bulk of long-term caregivers for the
22   elderly, are faced with the overwhelming burden of caring for
23   and/or financing the care of their elders for very many years
24   into the future; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, in order to rationally address the myriad of
27   problems surrounding the aging of Hawaii's population, it is
28   necessary to have a clear and comprehensive picture of what the
29   issues are, what resources are currently or potentially
30   available, and how other states are approaching the problem;
31   and 
32        WHEREAS, the Executive Office on Aging (EOA) has the
33   expertise and authority to:
34   
35        (1)  Develop a methodology for structuring the review
36             requested by this resolution;

 
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                                  H.R. NO.              H.D. 1 
                                                        
                                                        


 1        (2)  Successfully involve other relevant jurisdictions,
 2             and public and private agencies in its request for
 3             information and assistance; and
 4   
 5        (3)  Develop a matrix of significant issues and needed
 6             resources for serving an aging population; now,
 7             therefore,
 8   
 9        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
10   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
11   of 2000, that the EOA is requested to conduct a comprehensive
12   review of all programs in the State for, and the benefits
13   received by, Hawaii's elders; and
14   
15        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the EOA is requested to
16   include in its review:
17   
18        (1)  Age-related demographic trends and forecasts for the
19             next twenty-five years, in particular, the percentage
20             of elders as compared to other age groups, average
21             income, health status, health needs, and other
22             relevant demographic factors;
23   
24        (2)  Major issues and challenges confronting Hawaii's
25             elders;
26   
27        (3)  All federal, state, and county government programs
28             that serve elders, program mandates, and sources of
29             funding;
30   
31        (4)  Review and summary of all federal, state, and county
32             program benefits received by elders, including tax
33             subsidies and preferences, and supplemented by
34             extrapolation of the costs of these benefits into the
35             future;
36   
37        (5)  Review of the experience of other states with large
38             or rapidly-growing senior populations; and
39   
40        (6)  Make policy recommendations;
41   
42   and
43   
44        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the EOA is requested to submit
45   a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature
46   no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular
47   Session of 2001; and

 
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                                  H.R. NO.              H.D. 1 
                                                        
                                                        


 1        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this
 2   Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Executive
 3   Office on Aging.