[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21258]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     NATIONAL ASSISTED LIVING WEEK

 Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise today to draw the Senate's 
attention to National Assisted Living Week. The National Center for 
Assisted Living is sponsoring National Assisted Living Week this week 
to highlight the significance and the hope that this type of service 
can provide seniors.
  Assisted living is a long term care alternative for seniors who need 
more assistance than is available in retirement communities, but do not 
require the heavy medical and nursing care provided by nursing 
facilities. Approximately one million of our nation's seniors have 
chosen the option of assisted living in this country. This demonstrates 
a tremendous desire by seniors and their families to have the kind of 
assistance that they need in bathing, taking medications or other 
activities of daily living in a setting that truly becomes their home.
  This year's theme of National Assisted Living Week is ``A Community 
of Families'' and I think that is appropriate because assisted living 
encourages the involvement of families in the lives of the residents of 
assisted living facilities, and because this option can mean so much 
for seniors and their families.
  Oregon has led our nation in pioneering the concept of assisted 
living and the state spends more state health dollars to provide 
assisted living services than any other state in our nation. Assisted 
living has taken different directions in different states and I believe 
providing these choices for consumers is important to provide security, 
dignity and independence for seniors.
  Assisted living will become even more important as an option of 
seniors and their families as our nation experiences the tsunami of 
aging baby boomers. It is important for us to continue to support 
options that allow seniors and their families a choice of settings in 
order to assure that they get the level of care that they need.

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