New and Expanded Programs from Aging Matters
Here at Aging Matters we are always trying to find new ways to help seniors in our 18 county service area which includes Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Ste Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard and Wayne counties. When we get calls asking for help, we try to find any program or service to help. Sometimes there are no existing programs.
We are expanding some existing programs and starting some brand new ones in July. AgingRx is a program we have been doing in Cape Girardeau County for 2 years, we were able to expand this into Bollinger, Perry and Scott counties last year and this year we will be expanding into all 18 of our counties. This program helps those who are 60 or older and who live in our service area get help with prescription medications. A senior in need must call our office and we will screen them for all available Extra Help programs. This allows us to help those in need get the most help available. After the applications are complete, we can then help with some prescriptions costs no matter if they are approved for Extra Help or not.
Aging Matters currently partners with Miracle Ear to provide seniors who are 300% of the Federal Poverty Level help in getting hearing aids. With this program, you must live in our 18 county service area, have income under 300% of the Federal Poverty Level and be 60 or older. For this program, please contact the closest Miracle Ear office. If you need transportation to the appointment, Aging Matters can also assist with those costs.
Many seniors struggle accessing and using technology that is needed daily. Things as simple as using Facebook and texting to stay connected to family to using computers to check their Medicare and Social Security accounts. Aging Matters is planning to address these issues by offering classes to seniors to teach them how to safely use the devices and programs commonly available. Hopefully this will give our seniors the confidence and freedom to access technology as needed.
Another common issue we hear is seniors who have problems managing their finances. Living on a fixed income can be difficult with the cost of everyday items increasing. The unexpected loss of income from a spouse or lost job can also cause stress and issues for seniors. Aging Matters is beginning a program that will help seniors learn to set budgets and live within their means. It will also allow for one on one discussions of financial goals and money saving tips.
Aging Matters continues to serve meals at 32 senior nutrition centers. These centers provide a nutritious meal Monday through Friday; home delivered meals are also available for those 60 and older who are not physically able to go to a center. The senior centers also offer many support and recreational services such as bingo and other games, educational classes, dances, physical fitness programs and many opportunities to engage with others. For those who live outside the area the Senior Centers can deliver to, we offer a Distance Dining Program. This program sends frozen meals that can be heated in an oven or a microwave and gives the senior a warm, nutritious meal
For information about any of these programs or general information please call Aging Matters 1-800-392-8771, because Aging Matters.
2023 Changes to Medicare
As you know Medicare and Social Security make changes every year, some changes are minor, many Beneficiaries may not even notice them, and some years there is drastic change. 2023 is looking to be a year of noticeable change for Medicare.
An exciting change for 2023 is the Medicare Part B premium is decreasing. The standard premium is will be $164.90, a monthly savings of $5.20. A premium is the amount you pay every month to have Medicare or other insurance. For those on Medicare who draw a Social Security check, the premium is withheld from that check. If you are not yet on Social Security, Medicare will bill you the premium amount. The Medicare Part B deductible is also decreasing and will be $226, saving seniors $7.00 from 2022. Deductibles are the amount you pay for covered Medicare services before Medicare begins paying. After the deductible has been met, Medicare Part B pays 80% of the approved Medicare amount and the beneficiary or a secondary insurance is responsible for the remainder. Medicare Advantage plans have a different pay structure but generally also have a deductible before the plan pays.
Low-income Medicare beneficiaries might be able get assistance paying for some of the Medicare costs. The highest income for a single person to get help with the Medicare Part B premiums is $18,588 yearly for a single person with assets below $8,400 and for a couple $24,960 with assets under $12,600.
Those with higher incomes have to pay more for their Medicare, Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) is an extra charge added to the premiums of high-income earners. IRMMA begins for a single person whose yearly income in 2020 was above $97,000 and above $194,000 for a couple, the amount owed for Medicare increases as the income increases. The Medicare Part B and Part D premiums are increased by IRMMA. Social Security looks at your income from 2 years prior to determine IRMMA, you can ask for an appeal or redetermination if you think the information is wrong or your circumstances have changed.
Medicare Part A will see increases in cost for 2023. Most beneficiaries do not have to pay a Part A premium, but for those who do, it will increase about 1% next year. The Part A deductible will be $1600 per benefit period in 2023, an increase of $44. Again, if you have a secondary insurance it might pay the deductible. Other Part A costs, are going up about 3% from this year.
Another welcome change is there will be a cap on the cost of select insulin products covered under Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans. Starting January 1, 2023 beneficiaries will pay no more than $35 for a month’s supply of a covered insulin. For those on insulin pumps they will pay $35 for a month’s supply starting on July 1.
In addition, in 2023 any vaccines covered under Medicare Part D will no longer have a cost, deductible, co-pay or coinsurance and that includes the shingles vaccine. This is an exciting and needed change. This does NOT affect those vaccines covered by Medicare Part B.
Maybe the best news for 2023 is that the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) will be 8.7% that is the highest increase in 40 years. COLA adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), when inflation drives up the costs of goods and services the CPI reflects that. COLA raises are used to help offset those costs. With the changes to Medicare and Social Security, hopefully seniors will have a good 2023. If you have questions or need assistance, please call Aging Matters, 800-392-8771. Because Aging Matters.
Age Spots
Silver Haired Legislature Meets Again
The 49th Annual Conference of the Silver Haired Legislature took place at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City on October 18, 19, and 20. The 65 delegates in attendance chose their Top Five Priorities and formulated plans to advocate for senior issues during the coming legislative session. Aging Matters, which serves the Southeast area of the state had three Senators and seven Representatives at the session.
After spirited debates in the Legislative chambers, the delegates chose these issues as their Top Five Priorities for the 2023 legislative session:
1. No Income Tax on Social Security Income
2. Real Estate Tax Relief for Seniors
3. Absentee and Early Voting for Seniors
4. Increase Medicaid Asset Level
5. Authorize the Department of Health and Senior Services, Section for Long
Term Care, to Include Dementia Specific Training in Licensure for Health
Facilities Accepting Dementia Patients
Anyone interested in learning further details about the priorities of the Silver Haired Legislature is encouraged to call or e-mail Jackie Dover, Aging Matters 1-800-392-8771 or email at jdover@agingmatters2u.com.
Missouri’s Silver Haired Legislature was founded in 1973; the first in the nation after the Older Americans Act was amended to include advocacy groups. The SHL is composed of fifteen volunteers from each of the ten statewide Area Agencies on Aging. These 150 senior advocates, elected by their peers, identify and advocate for issues critical to older Missourians.
Elections are held in May and after the election and appointment of officers, the local SHL delegates meet to discuss issues that affect Missouri seniors. Each AAA’s delegation can submit up to seven proposals they have voted as important to them, their area and the seniors of Missouri. A smaller committee then considers these proposals and similar proposals are combined and then the approved proposals are debated in a model legislative session patterned after the MO General Assembly.
The requirements to be a SHL delegate are that one should be able to travel to Jefferson City and/or Cape Girardeau for meetings, be 60 years or older and reside in the area they wish to represent. It is beneficial for the elected person to be able to send and receive emails, because when the state legislators are in session things happen quickly and many times, you are contacted on the day of a hearing asking you to contact your state legislator the same day. The other obvious requirement is that one should be interested in the betterment of the lives of Missouri senior citizens.
Each SHL delegate is active in his or her community and SHL delegates work all year as advocates for senior issues. They are kept abreast of proposed legislation and stay in touch with the legislators. Many of the legislators contact the SHL delegates asking for their input on proposed legislation. If you would like more information, please contact Aging Matters. Because, Aging Matters.
Welcome to Aging Matters
I often get questions about what Aging Matters is and what do we do, so I decided to answer some of those questions. Aging Matters is the Area Agency on Aging for Southeast Missouri. Our area covers 18 counties; Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francis, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Stoddard and Wayne. We are one of ten agencies in the state of Missouri. Area Agencies on Aging were established by the Older Americans Act of 1973 with the goal to provide services and programs for those 60 and older.
We are probably most known for our nutrition programs. We currently have 33 Senior Centers, also known as Nutrition Centers. These centers provide a nutritious noontime meal Monday through Friday; home delivered meals are also available for those 60 and older who are not physically able to go to a center. The senior centers also offer many support and recreational services such as bingo and other games, educational classes, dances, physical fitness programs and many opportunities to engage with others. For those who live outside the area the Senior Centers can deliver to, we offer a Distance Dining Program. This program sends frozen meals that can be heated in an oven or a microwave and gives the senior a warm, nutritious meal.
Aging Matters also has a Family Caregiver program that helps those who are caring for someone 60 and older. Caregiving is one of the hardest things you will ever do and our program attempts to help alleviate some of the stress and pressures that goes along with that. The Caregiver program can help by providing educational programs, support programs, some respite care and a limited supplies program.
For those who live in long-term care or those who have family in long-term care we have an Ombudsman Program that works directly with residents and families to ensure the residents have a voice and that voice is heard. They help ensure resident’s rights are up-held, they advocate for residents and offer education and information about long-term care facilities.
The In-Home Care program allows those who are 60 and over to get some help in their home. This program is limited on the hours available but can provide chore services to those physically unable to do those chores, things such as dishes, vacuuming and laundry. There is also personal care available that can help with bathing and other special needs.
Information and Assistance has trained specialists that are able to offer information on a variety of topics related to aging. If they don’t have an answer, they probably know who does. They are also trained to offer Medicare, Medicaid and extra help assistance and counseling and help with paperwork for those programs. They also offer programs to the public to inform them on services available, Medicare or Scams.
If you have questions about any of our programs or would like more information, please call Aging Matters 800-392-8771. Because Aging Matters.
Age Spots by Jackie Dover: What a Meal, What a Deal
If you ask my kid’s what their Grandma does best, one of the first things they will, say is she is a great cook. She always makes them whatever they want and it is always amazing. Food for many people is about more than nourishment for the body. It can be a way to share love, to share culture to comfort and show appreciation.
According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), 5.2 million seniors face hunger in America. The cause of food instability can have many causes. Record inflation has caused the cost of food and other necessities to go up. Seniors living on a fixed income have difficulty keeping up with these increased costs and are making devastating choices between food, medicine or other bills. The physical health of a senior can contribute to hunger. Many illnesses and their treatments cause physical issues such as pain, fatigue and lack of appetite. Some seniors lack the ability to shop or order healthy, nutritious food. All of these issues can cause food insecurity that can lead to medical issues and depression.
Aging Matters strives to alleviate senior hunger. Aging Matters has 33 senior centers in our 18 county service area. These centers provide more than 1.4 million meals to Southeast Missouri. These meals are delicious and nutritious. The menus are designed by a registered dietician to be meet one third of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). During the COVID pandemic many of the centers had to close for congregate dining but all continued to deliver meals to those in need and the homebound.
With the dropping of COVID numbers, many centers are now open and resuming congregate dining and other activities. Research from NCOA shows that older adults who participate in senior center programs can learn to manage and delay the onset of chronic diseases and experience improvements in their physical, social, emotional and economic well-being. Centers today offer a wide variety of things to entertain seniors. With offerings such as educational presentations, exercise and dancing classes, quilting and crafts, puzzles, games and BINGO there is something for almost everyone. Now that most centers are open, seniors get the chance to meet with old friends and develop new friendships, while getting a good meal. I know from personal experience no food ever tasted as good as the meals my Grandma Grace made for us. When they say love was the secret ingredient, sometimes it was. However, I have had many meals at the different centers, they are really good, and the extras cannot be beat.
Contact your local center today, by phone or on the internet, to see what activities they offer that might interest you. Aging Matters has centers in the following communities:
Altenburg Bismarck Bonne Terre Campbell Cape Girardeau
Caruthersville Chaffee Charleston Dexter Doniphan
East Prairie Ellington Farmington Fredericktown Hayti
Jackson Kennett Malden Marble Hill Naylor
New Madrid Park Hills Perryville Poplar Bluff Portageville
Puxico Qulin Ste. Genevieve Scott City Signer Sikeston Van Buren Williamsville
If you are a senior or have questions about senio0r issues, please call Aging Matters 800-392-8771. Because….Aging Matters.
