III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 453 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that supporting seniors and individuals 

with disabilities is an important responsibility of the United States, 

and 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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 10, 2012 

Mr. HARKIN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that supporting seniors 

and individuals with disabilities is an important responsibility of the United States, and 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. 

Whereas the aging of the baby boom generation will cause 

the number of individuals in the United States who are 


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•SRES 453 IS 

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; 


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•SRES 453 IS 

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 


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•SRES 453 IS 

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 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that a 

2 comprehensive approach to expanding and supporting a 

3 strong home care workforce and making long-term serv4 ices and supports affordable and accessible in communities 

5 is necessary to uphold the right of seniors and individuals 

6 with disabilities in the United States to a dignified quality 

7 of life. 

Æ 


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