Pritzker signs an executive order, creates new agency position

Ill. (WTVO) — Governor J.B. Pritzker is looking to address the needs of aging Illinoisians. To start the decades-long process of providing those needs, Pritzker signed an executive order to hire a Chief Planning Officer for the Illinois Department of Aging.

A fourth of the Illinois population is expected to be 60 or older by 2030, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chief Planning Officer’s role will be to create a strategic, 10-year plan to make Illinois a more aging-friendly state.

The governor said the plan is not just about aging adults.

“We know that it’s not just about supporting aging adults, but also being mindful of caretaker needs and the complex needs of individuals with disabilities, and this plan will ensure no one is left behind,” Pritzker said when announcing the executive order.

The Illinois Caregiver Support Program has been providing resources to those who take care of the elderly for over two decades, but the program is small and relatively obscure.

Past administrations have only used two-year plans to do with aging, including Pritzker. The 10-year plan is said to span across multiple agencies like the Departments of Corrections, Insurance and Housing.

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