Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 105 Part 2.djvu/272

 105 STAT. 1224 PUBLIC LAW 102-176—DEC. 2, 1991 Public Law 102-176 102d Congress Joint Resolution Dec. 2, 1991 To designate the week beginning November 24, 1991, and the week beginning [H.J. Res. 125] November 22, 1992, each as "National Family Caregivers Week". Whereas the number of Americans who are age 65 or older is growing dramatically, with an unprecedented increase in the number of frail elderly age 85 or older; Whereas approximately 5,200,000 older persons have disabilities that leave them in need of help with their daily tasks, including food preparation, dressing, and bathing; Whereas families provide help to older persons with such tasks, in addition to providing between 80 and 90 percent of the medical care, household maintenance, transportation, and shopping needed by older persons; Whereas 80 percent of disabled elderly persons receive care from their family members, most of whom are their wives, daughters, and daughters-in-law, who often must sacrifice employment opportunities to provide such care; Whereas family caregivers are often physically and emotionally exhausted from the amount of time and stress involved in caregiving activities, and therefore need information about available community resources for respite care and other support services; Whereas the contributions of family caregivers help maintain strong family ties and assure support among generations; and Wheresis there is a need for greater public awareness of and support for the care that family caregivers are providing older persons: Now, therefore, be it 59-139 O - 91 (176)

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