1824                             Joint Resolutions

Hygiene encourage the Governor of Maryland to appoint an inde-
pendent commission to explore the problems of nursing homes in
depth. This commission must explore how nursing homes are oper-
ated; who owns them; the nature of the profits involved in this essen-
tially public industry; and, the qualifications of their personnel. We
would hope such a commission would also explore alternatives to
long-term custodial care in nursing homes and develop a detailed
plan for immediate improvements and a long-range plan for more
satisfactory care for the aging. This commission obviously must
have staff and funds to conduct a complete inquiry.

"The elderly sick are particularly vulnerable to neglect in today's
youth-dominated culture of America, where they have great diffi-
culty articulating their needs. A truly humane society must insure
a system that meticulously guards the dignity of its old people. It
must also provide for their comfort and a high quality of medical
care for them in their later years. It is the hope of this panel that
its recommendations may help in moving us toward this goal." (pp.
29-30); now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That, in view of
the above-quoted serious indictment of Maryland's health care for
its aging by the aforementioned Board of Inquiry, and in further-
ance of its recommendations for correcting the deficiencies which
it has pinpointed, the Governor of the State of Maryland is hereby
urged to appoint an independent commission to explore the prob-
lems of nursing homes in depth and further that this commission
be empowered to explore alternatives to long-term custodial care
in nursing homes and to develop a detailed plan for immediate im-
provements and a long-range plan for more satisfactory care for the
aging; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Governor
of Maryland.

Approved May 6, 1971.

No. 20
(Senate Joint Resolution 89)

Senate Joint Resolution requesting that a Commission be appointed
THE JOINT BUDGET AND AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY to study several vital areas affecting the
operation of Friendship Airport and the Airport's effect on Anne
Arundel County.

Whereas, A proposal to transfer control of Friendship Airport
from the present Authority to the State Department of Transporta-
tion is now under consideration; and

Whereas, the Airport's operations have, in the past, resulted in
numerous problems for Anne Arundel County; and

Whereas, successful and competitive operation of the Airport in
the future is likely to exacerbate these problems for Anne Arundel
County; and