SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION No. 50

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 19, 2024

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Senate Joint Resolution No. 50.

      This resolution designates November of each year as “Caregivers Awareness Month” and recognizes the 65 million voluntary family caregivers in the United States.

      Caregiving is not a “one size fits all” obligation, and caregivers find themselves caring for individuals of all ages and various needs. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are commonly the basis for caregiving for the elderly, with five million individuals in the United States suffering from Alzheimer’s disease alone. Additionally, the incidence of various childhood conditions is increasing, and therefore many parents are caregivers for children with special needs. Further, many veterans of the armed forces, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, require the assistance of caregivers.

      The value of the services provided by these caregivers, which often involves complex medical or nursing tasks, is approximately $450 billion per year. Despite providing such complex care, most caregivers have not obtained formal training.  Moreover, the average amount of time spent by caregivers for their caregiving duties is 20.4 hours per week, and as the majority of caregivers are also employed, this commitment is quite considerable.

      The commitment of these caregivers to their loved ones often comes at a price to the caregivers themselves. Many caregivers find their duties to be emotionally stressful and highly burdensome.  The longer an individual acts in a caregiver capacity, the more likely it is that individual will experience a deterioration of health. More than three-quarters of all caregivers feel that they need more help or information with respect to various caregiving topics.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.