HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 69 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 4, 2008 Directing the Joint Commission on Health Care to study alternative solutions to long-term care needs. Report. ---------- Patron-- Plum ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

WHEREAS, the 2000 Census reported there were 1,065,502 persons who were age 60 or older in Virginia, comprising 15.1 percent of the state's population, and of that number, 87,266 Virginians were age 85 and older, comprising 8.2 percent of this older population and 1.2 percent of the total population of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's older population, those age 60 and above, increased by 17.1 percent between 1990 and 2000, growing from 909,906 to 1,065,502 individuals; and the population of Virginians age 75 and older increased at an even faster rate, 36.4 percent between 1990 and 2000, growing from 263,848 to 359,877 individuals; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's older population is projected to increase at even faster rates over the next 30 years, growing to 1,540,299 (19.91 percent of the total population) by 2010; to 2,101,193 (25.49 percent) by 2020; and to 2,611,774 (25.73 percent) by 2030; and

WHEREAS, the demand for long-term care will increase as the population of older persons continues to grow; and

WHEREAS, it is the stated policy of the Commonwealth to ensure opportunities for self-care and independent living for older Virginians and to ensure meaningful choices regarding long-term care services for citizens of the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Commission on Health Care be directed to study alternative solutions to long-term care needs. 

In conducting its study, the Joint Commission on Health Care shall identify and review alternatives to traditional long-term care facilities, including intentional communities of clustered homes.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Commission on Health Care by the Department on Aging. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Commission on Health Care for this study, upon request.

The Joint Commission on Health Care shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2008, and for the second year by November 30, 2009, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the Joint Commission on Health Care intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.