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THE SENATE |
S.R. NO. |
89 |
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TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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URGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LONG-TERM CARE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN for hawaii TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE SUPPORTING AGING IN PLACE.
WHEREAS, compared to the total population in Hawaii, the number of elderly increased by eleven per cent in 2005, and will increase by twenty-two per cent annually by 2030, with the number of those over sixty-five years of age increasing from 130,000 in 2005 to over 275,000 in 2030; and
WHEREAS, while agreeable living accommodations and physical surroundings are necessary for the well-being of all people, it is even more important to the elderly whose abodes are the center of virtually all of their activities; and
WHEREAS, the impact of moving to an institutionalized setting is significant and can adversely affect the older adult's quality of life; and
WHEREAS, elders, when surveyed, indicate a preference for receiving services at home or in a home-like setting, and the cost of providing care and assistance is lower the closer it is to home or in a home-like setting; and
WHEREAS, the practice of facilitating aging in place is part of an evolving continuum of care for the elderly that attempts to keep the well elderly living in the community for as long as possible before resorting to institutional services; and
WHEREAS, the long-term care infrastructure in the State, such as skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, care homes, foster family homes, assisted living facilities, retirement residential living, home services, and other basic services, are not growing fast enough to keep pace with the growing needs of the elderly in our communities; and
WHEREAS, the various county building and fire codes throughout the State are fragmented; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006 that the Department of Health's Office of Health Care Assurance and the Department of Human Services' Adult and Community Care Services Branch are requested to convene a task force of stakeholders to develop a long-term care infrastructure plan for Hawaii to ensure public safety while supporting aging in place; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to:
(1) Review current Department of Health and Department of Human Services regulations regarding, but not limited to, structural compliance, quality of care, and quality of life with regard to the elderly;
(2) Focus on the balance between allowing aging in place and the State's responsibility to ensure that the safety of residents and their quality of care are not compromised; and
(3) Attempt to identify inconsistencies, disparities, and non-uniformity in laws and regulations at the state and county levels of government, including current county building and fire codes, within the context of how they do or do not contribute materially to the public policy standards of resident safety and quality of care; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to:
(1) Submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature at least twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007; and
(2) Submit its final report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature at least twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the mayors and the chairpersons of the respective county councils, the Director of Health, the Director of Human Services, the Executive Director of the Executive Office on Aging, the Hawaii Long-Term Care Association, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the Maui Long-Term Care Partnership, the Alliance of Residential Care Administrators, the Adult Foster Home Association of Hawaii, and Assisted Living Options Hawaii.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Report Title:
LTC Infrastructure; Aging in Place; DOH-DHS Task Force; Study