WHEREAS, New Jersey has one of the largest senior citizen populations in the nation; and

WHEREAS, currently, one in seven residents of this State is at least sixty-five years of age and, it is anticipated that, in thirty years, one in four New Jerseyans will be at least sixty-five years old; and

WHEREAS, these demographic projections indicate a critical need to anticipate and develop responses to the likely need of large numbers of elderly residents of this State for elder care and the needs of their care givers;

NOW, THEREFORE, I CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER AND DIRECT:

1. There is hereby established in the Department of Health and Senior Services the New Jersey Advisory Council on Elder Care.

2. The Council shall be composed of 17 members as follows: three members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate, no more than two of whom shall be members of the same political party; three members of the General Assembly, to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, no more than two of whom shall be members of the same political party; the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services, a Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services, and the Director of Senior Services or their designees; and eight public members, all of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, who shall have an interest or expertise in issues pertaining to elder care.

3. It shall be the responsibility of the New Jersey Advisory Council on Elder Care to gather and evaluate information on the current and perceived future service needs of senior citizens and those caring for them, and to determine the current needs of independent elders and those anticipated during the next 25 years.

The council shall, in particular, focus on the following issues: (1) the kinds of support or choices that care givers need now and will need in the future to help their patients, parents or loved ones maintain their dignity and independence; (2) the expectations that middle-aged persons currently have about the kind of care they will receive as senior citizens during the next 25-year period and how they expect to pay for that care; (3) the service delivery system that needs to be established or modified to meet anticipated elder care needs, and the kinds of legislative or policy decisions necessary for this purpose; and (4) the kinds of accommodations that need to be made for senior citizens who want to utilize various long-term care options.

4. The Council shall:

a. Organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson from among its members. The council members shall serve without compensation.

b. The Council shall meet at the call of the chairperson at the times and in the places deemed appropriate and necessary to fulfill its charge. The council shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of officials and employees of any State department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

5. The Council shall present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than six months after the date of its initial meeting.

6. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal
this 28th day of September in the
Year of Our Lord, One Thousand
Nine Hundred and Ninety Eight,
and of the Independence of the
United States, the Two Hundred
and Twenty-Third.

/s/ Christine Todd Whitman
Governor

[seal]

Attest:

/s/ John J. Farmer, Jr.
Chief Counsel to the Governor