Where do I go for help?

Everyone knows I work at Aging Matters, but many people do not know what exactly Aging Matters is or what we do.  So for this month I am going to highlight some of our programs and how we help our seniors.

Aging Matters is the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging.  We were established by the Older Americans Act of 1973. There are over 600 Agencies on Aging in the United States. AAA’s were established to provide a place for Americans 60 or older to go for information, help and assistance staying in their homes and communities as long as safely possible. Aging Matters serves 18 counties in the Southeast Missouri Area.

Most people probably know of us because of our amazing senior nutrition centers that provide food in the centers and also to the homebound, but we are much more than that.

The Long-term Care Ombudsman Program helps to work out complaints or other problems within a long-term care facility. The ombudsmen are trained volunteers that provide free and confidential services. They visit the facility they are assigned to each week and take the time to meet and listen to the residents and their families concerns. The ombudsmen listen to any issue there may be and work to reach a solution that is fair to everyone involved. If you have concerns or questions about a resident’s care, charges for care or how to obtain services from resources outside the facility or options on nursing home placement please feel free to speak with an ombudsman.

Aging Matters also has In Home Services; this program helps those who qualify stay in their home safely for as long as possible. The in home program will vary for each person but is available to those 60 or older who have a physical need for help. Services could include homemaker chore services, which is light housekeeping and assistance with tasks people are unable to do. It also could include personal care which would help with bathing and other special needs.

The Family Caregiver Program helps those who are caring for someone who is 60 or older. Care giving is a very difficult and sometimes lonely job. The Family Caregiver Program helps with education programs, support groups and individual information and assistance; it also provides limited respite and limited supplies assistance.

Information and Assistance at Aging Matters offers many services including Medicare and Medicaid counseling and assistance, Medicare Bootcamps, Scamborees, paperwork assistance and connections to many other services in the community. We provide programs and community presentations to any group wanting information.

For more information on any of these programs, please feel free to call Aging Matters, 573-335-3331 or 1-800-392-8771.

Spring Has Sprung, Maybe

There is a saying, “if you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes it will change.” This has very much been our weather pattern as of late. It’s hard to shift from sunbathing weather to snow in just a couple of days, but we have done it several times this winter. As we enter into spring, we need to take extra caution with the weather and be prepared for weather events that accompany a Missouri spring.

Tornadoes have already ravaged communities in our area and sadly the spring months are when we are most at risk. So what can you do to make yourself prepared? One really easy thing is to have a plan. I know it sounds really basic, but in an emergency do all of your family members know where to meet if you are separated or who to call to check in with? Having a plan can save precious time and worry.

Keeping track of the bad weather is another way to stay protected. We are lucky we live in a time that following the weather is easy and convenient. Local television and radio stations can track severe weather and warnings come much earlier than in years past. Most people have weather apps downloaded on their phones that allow them to see storms as they happen. This technology gives us a chance to find shelter and safety before the bad weather arrives. Weather radios can give notice to those without television or smartphones and can also wake those who are sleeping with sirens and alarms. All these early warning systems save lives.

Floods are also a common occurrence in our area in the spring. According to Ready.gov floods are the most common and most costly natural disasters in the United States.  Whereas tornadoes and thunderstorms swiftly move through an area, floods can develop quickly or come achingly slowly. 

Some things to remember with floods is that it takes only 6 inches of moving water to sweep a person off their feet. Don’t walk through a flooded area. And please do not attempt to drive through flood waters. Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities involve a person driving a vehicle. The slogan is Turn Around; Don’t Drown for a reason, it takes only 2 feet of water to float most cars away. Other dangers include roadways that could wash out in floods and unseen debris on roadways. It’s always better to play it safe and find an alternate way.

Living in Southeast Missouri we need to be weather aware, but remember spring is also a time of beauty and rebirth. Take the time to enjoy the blooming flowers and the beauty that is spring. I love living in an area that has all four seasons, but I would be okay with not having all four in one week.