News from the Senate Majority
Alaska State Legislature

Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907/465-4582
http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540

Senate Approves Task Force to Develop Long-Term Care Plan for Seniors

For Immediate Release: March 20,1998 Contact: Senator Bert Sharp, 465-3004.

Juneau – To better provide for the needs of Alaska’s senior community, the Senate Friday passed a resolution forming the Long-Term Care Task Force. After task force members review available data on long-term care services in Alaska, they are charged with developing an equitable plan for providing opportunities to acquire sound and affordable long-term care for all Alaska senior citizens.

Senator Bert Sharp, sponsor of Senate Concurrent Resolution 11, said that as Alaska’s senior community grows, we need to plan for the growing demand for long-term care services. "Establishing a system to meet the long-term needs of aging Alaskans is an important issue for elderly persons, but it is equally important for younger Alaskans who must care for their parents in addition to their own and their children’s needs," said Sharp.

"The cost of long-term care often goes beyond what individuals can afford to pay and it is becoming an insurmountable amount for the state and private citizens to bear," Sharp said. "I hope the task force will create a plan that will assure our senior citizens are getting the best care possible."

The Legislature, in 1996, established a working group to analyze long-term care services available in the state and their projected costs. After reviewing the work done and the recommendations made by the long-term working group, the task force is charged with the following duties:

• Prepare a plan that identifies needed legislation.
• Prepare drafts of legislation necessary to implement the plan
• Propose funding options
• Hold public hearings on the plan
• Finalize the plan and present it to the Legislature and the Governor at the start of next session.

The task force will consist of nine voting members: three members from the House of Representatives (at least one majority and one minority), three members of the Senate (at least one minority and one majority), and three members of the public – one appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate President.

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= Bert Sharp, 65 K