Whereas the aging of the baby boom generation will cause
the number of individuals in the United States who are 65 years of age or older
to increase from 40,000,000 to 70,000,000 during the next 2 decades;
Whereas 12,000,000 adults, nearly half of whom are under
65 years of age, need long-term services and supports due to functional
limitations;
Whereas the decision of the Supreme Court in Olmstead v.
L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999), mandates the end of unnecessary segregation of
individuals with disabilities in institutions, and requires that individuals
with disabilities receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate
to their needs;
Whereas the vast majority of individuals in the United
States prefer to receive long-term services and supports in their homes so that
they may continue to live independently and with dignity;
Whereas the costs of long-term services and supports for
seniors and individuals with disabilities are high;
Whereas the great expense of long-term services and
supports can affect all individuals, regardless of income;
Whereas 70 percent of individuals who are 65 years of age
or older will need some form of long-term services and supports;
Whereas the number of individuals who need long-term
services and supports is projected to grow from 12,000,000 to 27,000,000 by
2050;
Whereas there are approximately 3,000,000 workers in the
direct care workforce, leaving a huge gap between the services needed and the
size of the current workforce;
Whereas the United States is experiencing a jobs crisis,
as 25,000,000 individuals are unemployed or underemployed;
Whereas home care is one of the fastest growing industries
in the United States economy, providing critical daily care, services, and
supports to millions of individuals and families across the country;
Whereas an estimated 1,800,000 additional home care
workers will be needed during the next decade to serve the growing population
of seniors and individuals with disabilities;
Whereas the quality of home care jobs is poor, with low
wages, few benefits, high turnover, and a high level of job stress and
hazards;
Whereas home care and personal assistance workers earn a
median hourly wage of $9.40, and nearly half of such workers live in households
that also rely on public assistance;
Whereas approximately 58 percent of home care workers work
part-time, and approximately 40 percent of those part-time workers would prefer
to work more hours;
Whereas nearly 23 percent of the individuals who provide
home care services were born outside the United States;
Whereas a stabilized home care workforce would lead to
improved continuity and quality of long-term services and supports;
Whereas the issue of long-term services and supports is a
critical issue for women, as 70 percent of individuals who need such care are
women 65 years of age or older, 90 percent of paid caregivers are women, and 85
percent of family members and friends who informally provide care are women who
often have to leave the paid workforce to provide such care, and thus are at a
financial disadvantage during their working years and face a reduction in
Social Security benefits when they retire; and
Whereas a comprehensive approach that focuses on job
creation and job quality, workforce training, pathways to citizenship and
career advancement, and support for individuals and families is necessary to
build a strong home care workforce and make quality long-term services and
supports affordable and accessible for all individuals in the United States:
Now, therefore, be it
That it is the sense of the Senate
that a comprehensive approach to expanding and supporting a strong home care
workforce and making long-term services and supports affordable and accessible
in communities is necessary to uphold the right of seniors and individuals with
disabilities in the United States to a dignified quality of life.