Report Title:

Elder Wellness

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Executive Office on Aging to provide elderly services through community centers.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

501

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the elderly.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including Hawaii, profound demographic changes are occurring. Populations are aging as a result of longer life expectancies. In Hawaii, the elderly population is growing at about two and one-half times the national elderly growth rate. Although Hawaii has traditionally been a state with a large youth population, the percentage of elderly residents in the year 2000 exceeded the national average for the first time in history.

Hawaii's elder support system is currently not equipped to handle the increasing numbers of elderly residents. Hawaii has approximately thirty nursing home beds per one thousand elderly residents compared to the national average of about fifty-four beds per one thousand elderly residents. Because of this shortage, only the most severely disabled of our elderly population can be accommodated by our nursing homes. Hawaii's nursing home patients have the most acute disabilities, on average, of any state in the country. This creates a great deal of pressure on acute care facilities in hospitals, and on the families of elderly persons who are unable to receive care.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to provide services to Hawaii's elderly population.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004 and the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005 to provide elderly services through community centers.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the executive office on aging for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________