the aging; and what we do to help the elderly of today will ultimately make our own lives richer as the years go by; and Whereas the State council for the aging population is engaging in a month-long campaign to accelerate the progress being made throughout the State, to culminate in the observance during the month of May of aging citizens month: Now, therefore, I, Arthur B. Langlie, Governor of the State of Washington, by virtue of authority in me vested, do hereby proclaim the month of May 1956 aging citizens month in the State of Washington and urge that the people of this State turn their attention and resources to the fulfilling opportunities at hand to furnish an uplifting and meaningful atmosphere in which our aging can continue to contribute to all areas of our social and economic life. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the State of Washington to be affixed at Olympia this 11th day of January A. D. 1956. By the Governor: ARTHUR B. LANGLIE, Governor of Washington. EARL COE, Secretary of State. WISCONSIN Advisory Committee on Problems of the Aged of the Legislative Council I. GENERAL STRUCTURE Authorization and assignment Statutory authorization July 1, 1951. See legislation, section III. Statute directed the joint legislative council to conduct a study of the problem of our aged population and to develop such information as will enable the legislature to enact a long-range program geared to provide adequately for those who have devoted most of their years to the development of this State. *** Such study should give emphasis to (a) adequate old-age assistance; (b) problems of institutional care; (c) partial or extended employment; (d) leisure time. ***The council was further directed to conduct a study of all welfare costs, to make recommendations thereon and to determine of a pattern fixing a maximum percentage county-tax levy from real-estate tax for welfare purposes can be developed. Membership and general organization Nine members: three senators; 3 members of the assembly, "appointed as are standing committees of their respective houses"; three citizens at large. Staff A project director was appointed by the committee. Statute directed director of public welfare to release employees for maximum periods of 3 months each to participate in study, and to furnish information as requested by project director. Financing By a State appropriation of $15,000 annually, 1951 and 1952, for conduct of study and preparation of report. 1. Hearings II. ACTIVITIES The committee held a series of open hearings of two kinds in different cities in the State: (a) State agency representatives and other organizations reported on their activities, and (b) representatives of local organizations, institutions and agencies, old-age assistance recipients, their relatives and the general public attended hearings and expressed their views. The following programs were discussed in these hearings: (a) Employment services, especially counseling and placement of applicants; (b) vocational and adult education for occupational training, recreational and educational interests; (c) care of aged in public and private institutions, county homes and nursing home operators, nursing home standards under licensing law; (d) county infirmaries; (e) recreation programs in Milwaukee and Madison; (f) old-age and survivors' insurance and old-age assistance program and report of the University of Wisconsin Committee on Problems of Aging; (g) medical aspects of aging-presented by panel sponsored by State medical society; (h) programs of county welfare departments, boarding and nursing home operators. 2. Research projects The following areas were included: (a) Operation of the lien law; (b) survey of shift of medical payments from vendor payments to payments included in assistance grants; (c) survey by Wisconsin Employment Service of placement of workers over 65 years of age, by sex and type of work, for period December 1951 to May 1952; (d) compilation and review of statutes relating to care of aged and infirm; (e) informational survey of old-age assistance recipients with respect to support by relatives; (f) characteristics of old-age assistance recipients with respect to housing and living arrangements, location of residence, and physical condition; (g) compilation of welfare and other costs and mill-tax levy for welfare purposes in 20 counties; (h) survey of other States with respect to general characteristics of their old-age assistance programs. 3. Projects outlined Areas selected included: (a) Survey by visit of approximately 15 proprietary voluntary homes for aged; (b) survey of records of oldage assistance applicants whose applications were denied; (c) compilation of information from other States relative to sharing of grants and administrative costs of old-age assistance by State and county units. 4. Meetings, reports The committee met once each month and published progress reports. III. STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION No. 139, S. Published July 7, 1951 Chapter 425 An Act to create 20,015 (3) of the statutes, relating to a study of the problem of the aged by the legislative council and making an appropropriation The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Modern scientific developments have extended the life span of our citizens. This has resulted in a need for a reevaluation of our public-assistance program, our institutional program, our program of manpower utilization of our recreational program. The need for an exhaustive study of the problem of our aged citizens is not only dictated by humanitarian considerations, but is necessary in order to utilize our State facilities most effectively. SEC. 2. The joint legislative council is directed to conduct a study of the problem of our aged population and to develop such information as will enable the legislature to enact a long-range program geared to provide adequately for those who have devoted most of their years to the development of this State. Such study should give special emphasis to (a) The problem of adequate old-age assistance. (c) The problem of partial or extended employment. SEC. 2a. The joint legislative council is further directed to conduct a study, working cooperatively with State agencies, of all welfare costs, to make recommendations thereon and to determine if a pattern fixing a maximum percentage county tax levy from real-estate tax for welfare purposes can be developed. SEC. 3. An advisory committee shall be appointed to direct the study. The committee shall consist of 3 senators and 3 assemblymen to be appointed as are standing committees in their respective houses, and 3 citizens at large, with a knowledge of an interest in the problem of the aged, selected by the council. The advisory committee shall select a project director who shall devote at least half time to this job. SEC. 4. The director of public welfare is directed to release employees for period not to exceed 3 months to participate in this study, and to provide such information as may be requested by the project director. SEC. 5. 20,015 (3) of the statutes is created to read: 20,015 (3) STUDY OF THE AGED. (a) There is appropriated. from the general fund annually for the years beginning July 1, 1951, and July 1, 1952, $15,000 to the joint legislative council for the conduct of a study of the aged and the preparation of a report thereon. 82756-56-vol. 1————19 (b) Payments from this appropriation for reimbursement of expenses and compensation for services shall be made to persons not employed by the public welfare department and shall be made by voucher signed by the chairman and secretary of the council. Approved June 26, 1951. IV. FINAL ACTION The committee concluded its work by submitting a report in two parts. This report was identified as volume I of the 1953 Legislative Council Final Report. Part I contains the committee's conclusions and recommendations, together with the three bills submitted to the legislature by the committee through the legislative council. Part II is the research report and contains the background information upon which the committee based its conclusions and recommendations. COMMITTEE ON AGING OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Clark Tibbitts, chairman Louis H. Ravin, associate chairman Miss Ione Clinton, staff Dr. T. C. Fong, St. Elizabeths Hospital Dr. James F. Garrett, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Oliver Green, Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, SSA Dr. Irvin Kerlan, Food and Drug Administration Miss Dorothy McCamman, Social Security Administration Mrs. Georgia F. McCoy, Public Health Service Miss Eunice L. Minton, Bureau of Public Assistance Dr. John R. Murdock, Office of Field Administration Dr. S. David Pomrinse, Public Health Service George Trafton, Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, SSA |