Proclamation 2017-020 - I Heart Caregivers Day - 2/15/2017.

              2017-020
STATE OF NEW MEXICO EXECUTIVE OFFICE SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
WHEREAS, EACH YEAR ABOUT 419,000 ADULTS IN THE STATE PROVIDE OVER 257
MILLION HOURS OF UNPAID FAMILY CAREGIVING AT AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF OVER 3.1
BILLION; AND
WHEREAS, THE 2014 STATE FAMILY CAREGIVER PLAN PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR SUPPORTING UNPAID FAMILY CAREGIVERS; AND
WHEREAS, A 2016 AARP NEW MEXICO CAREGIVING SURVEY INDICATES THAT THE
TYPICAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS IN NEW MEXICO ARE WOMEN, OVER 55 YEARS OLD, LIKELY
TO BE MARRIED, WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE, AND CARING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS 65 PLUS
YEARS OLD; AND
WHEREAS, THIS SAME SURVEY INDICATED THAT THESE CAREGIVERS PROVIDE A
WIDE VARIETY OF MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL SERVICES, SOME USE THEIR OWN FUNDS
TO SUPPORT THEIR LOVED ONE, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEIR WORK, AND NEED
SERVICES THAT GIVE THEM A BREAK FROM CAREGIVING; AND
WHEREAS, THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT 95 PERCENT OF THESE CAREGIVERS
WORK EITHER FULL OR PART-TIME WHILE PROVIDING CARE TO AN ADULT LOVED ONE;
AND
WHEREAS, THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT OVER 76 PERCENT OF THESE CAREGIVERS
GO TO WORK EARLY OR LATE, OR TAKE TIME OFF TO PROVIDE CARE FOR A LOVED ONE;
AND
WHEREAS, MORE THAN 44 PERCENT OF THESE CAREGIVERS HAD TO TAKE A LEAVE
OF ABSENCE FROM THEIR JOB TO PROVIDE CARE FOR A LOVED ONE AND OVER 32 PERCENT
HAD TO ADJUST FROM WORKING FULL-TIME TO PART-TIME TO PROVIDE CARE FOR A
LOVED ONE; AND
WHEREAS, A 2016 NATIONAL AARP SURVEY INDICATES THAT 78 PERCENT OF
FAMILY CAREGIVERS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF $7,000 OUT OF THEIR OWN RESOURCES FOR
OUT-OF-POCKET CAREGIVING COSTS; AND
WHEREAS, THE AGING AND LONG-TERM SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND AARP NEW
MEXICO HAVE MADE SUPPORTING FAMILY CAREGIVERS A PRIORITY; AND
WHEREAS, UNPAID CAREGIVERS NEED TO BE SUPPORTED AND RECOGNIZED FOR
THEIR WORK;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SUSANA MARTINEZ, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW
MEXICO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 15™, 2017, AS
"I HEART CAREGIVERS DAY"
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.
SIGNED AT THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE
ATTEST:
.in
THIS 24m DAY OF JANUARY 2017.
WITNESS MY HAND AND THE GREAT
SEAL OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO
SUSANA MARTINEZ
GOVERNOR
MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER
ECRETARY OF STATE