SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 13

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR MURPHY

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SP 10: SENIOR VOLUNTEERS.

SP 13: PRIVATE-PAY NONMEDICAL HOME CARE WORKER TRAINING.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, SKILLED NURSING AND INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITIES ARE REQUIRED TO ADOPT SPECIFIED APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES, INCLUDING A TRAINING PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF PERSONS WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE PRIVATE-PAY NONMEDICAL HOME CARE SERVICE PROVIDER AGENCIES TO CREATE AND ADOPT A SIMILAR TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PROVIDERS THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF PERSONS WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA.

VOTE: MAJORITY

SP 13: RELATING TO PRIVATE-PAY NONMEDICAL HOME CARE WORKER TRAINING

WHEREAS, THE SENIOR POPULATION HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY INCREASING, DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE AGING OF THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION; AND

WHEREAS, SINCE THE RENDERING OF THE OLMSTEAD DECISION BY THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, INCREASING EFFORTS ARE BEING DIRECTED AT PROVIDING COMMUNITY AND HOME-BASED SERVICES, WITH INSTITUTIONALIZED CARE SOUGHT ONLY AS A LAST RESORT; AND

WHEREAS, THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONS TO PROVIDE THESE INCREASED DEMANDS FOR HOME-BASED CARE IS BEING MET THROUGH VARIOUS SOURCES, INCLUDING, IN-HOME SUPPORT SERVICES, HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES, AND PRIVATE HOME CARE SERVICES; AND

WHEREAS, WHILE DEMENTIA-TYPE TRAINING IS INCLUDED IN SOME OF THE CARE WORKER PROGRAMS, THOSE IN THE PRIVATE NONMEDICAL HOME CARE SERVICES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RECEIVE THIS TRAINING; AND

WHEREAS, A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE PROPER ACTIONS TO RESPOND TO PERSONS SUFFERING FROM SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA CAN RESULT IN DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING EFFECTS ON THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF INDIVIDUALS; AND

WHEREAS, PRIVATE-PAY NONMEDICAL HOME CARE WORKERS ARE INCREASINGLY CALLING ALZHEIMER’S EXPERTS LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING TN DEALING WITH DEMENTIA SYMPTOMS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2006 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT PRIVATE-PAY NONMEDICAL HOME CARE SERVICE PROVIDER AGENCIES BE REQUIRED TO CREATE AND ADOPT SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAMS ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND APPROPRIATELY RESPOND TO DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER’S SYMPTOMS IN PRIVATE-PAY SENIOR CITIZENS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT PRIVATE-PAY NONMEDICAL HOME CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS PROVIDE TO NEW EMPLOYEES, UPON BEGINNING EMPLOYMENT, WRITTEN INFORMATION ABOUT INTERACTING WITH PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE OR DEMENTIA-RELATED DISORDERS, AND ADDITIONALLY REQUIRE THAT HOME CARE PERSONNEL COMPLETE TWO HOURS TRAINING RELATING TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA-RELATED DISORDERS WITHIN NINE MONTHS AFTER BEGINNING EMPLOYMENT; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN20061897305

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