Area Bloggers
Age Spots: Silver Haired Legislature Election will be May 7 by Jackie Dover
April 22nd 2019 by Dee Loflin
Silver Haired Legislature Election will be May 7
The Silver Haired Legislature (SHL) is a formally elected body of citizens 60 years of age or older that promote conscientious legislative advocacy for Missouri’s older adults.
All members are volunteers who serve without pay. Currently there are no term limits so a delegate may be re-elected to an unlimited number of terms. The elected delegates meet several times at Aging Matters in Cape Girardeau and participate in a mock legislative session patterned after the MO General Assembly. The session is in Jefferson City in the fall of each year. Many of the activities take place in the Senate and House chambers of the Capitol building.
The SHL delegates work all year as advocates for senior issues. They are updated on proposed legislation and stay in touch with the legislators. Many of the legislators contact the SHL delegates asking for their input on proposed legislation.
There are 10 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in Missouri and SHL delegates are elected from each AAA area. This brings about 150 seniors together in Jefferson City to present proposals, debate issues, and choose the top five for which they will advocate during the year.
If you are interested in becoming a SHL delegate, you should file a Declaration of Candidacy with the Aging Matters office. This statement must arrive in the office by close of business on April 30. You may obtain an application by contacting our office at 1-800-392-8771 or locally at 335-3331 ext. 113 or pick one up at your local senior center.
There are five Representative and one Senate seat up for election this year. The May 7 election will be held at the area senior centers during regular business hours. Contact our office to learn more about this very important program.
Last Updated on April 22nd 2019 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/vchn/Age-Spots-Silver-Haired-Legislature-Election-will-be-May-7-by-Jackie-Dover
Age Spots: Hidden Gems by Jackie Dover
March 11th 2019 by Dee Loflin
Hidden Gems
Clients often say they wish they had learned about Aging Matters earlier, so we could have helped them with previous issues. Aging Matters is like a hidden gem, a valuable service that not enough people know about. With that in mind, I realized there are many programs and services that could be a benefit if more people knew about them.
The first hidden gem is Wolfner Library. Wolfner Library is a free library service for qualifying Missourians who are unable to use standard print reading materials due to a physical or visual disability. Wolfner Library offers a wide variety of services including:
- Braille
- Large print
- Fiction and non-fiction audio books for all ages
- Over 70 magazine subscriptions
- Loanable machines for those renting audio books
Materials are mailed to and from library patrons free, that is right there is no cost for these services. As an avid reader, I think this is one of the most amazing services available. If you would like more information, you can visit the Wolfner Library website: www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner or follow them on Facebook: facebook.com/wolfnerlibrary or call 800-392-2614.
Another little gem that has benefitted many seniors is the South Central Pension Rights Project. Pension counseling projects assist anyone with a pension question or problem, regardless of age, income, or value of the claim. This is a free service. If you have ever tried to find a pension from a company that changed names or ownership, you know how valuable this help is.
Pension counselors assist:
- Answering questions about complicated pension laws and how they affect retirement
- Obtaining and explaining hard to find retirement publications, forms and other documentation
- Correcting pension miscalculations
- Claiming retirement benefits that have been denied
- Tracking down benefits from past employers
South Central Pension Rights Project is the pension-counseling project that serves Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. If you have questions, you can contact them at www.southcentralpension.org or 800-443-2528.
Other little gems from Aging Matters are our Medicare Bootcamps. At a Bootcamp, we cover all the parts of Medicare including when, where and how to enroll. We also discuss the cost, penalties and coverage. It is everything you wanted to know about Medicare, but were afraid to ask.
We also have regional Scamborees. These events go into detail on how to protect yourself from scams and fraud, and what to do if you are a victim. These programs are held throughout the year in the Aging Matters service are. Our toll free number is 800-392-8771; you can check our web page http://www.agingmatters2u.com/ or our Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Aging-Matters.
Last Updated on March 11th 2019 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/vc9m/Age-Spots-Hidden-Gems-by-Jackie-Dover
Age Spots: Meeting the Deductible and other New Year treats by Jackie Dover
February 08th 2019 by Dee Loflin
Meeting the Deductible and other New Year treats
I need to get my eyes checked. After hours on the computer and on my phone, I have blurry vision and I am getting headaches. I put off going to the eye doctor during the busy holiday season and now wish I had fit a visit in my schedule, now I have to meet my insurance deductible. Most insurances have a deductible; a deductible is the amount you pay for covered medical expenses before your insurance begins to pick up any charges. Medicare can have more than one deductible.
Medicare Part A, which is the in-patient or hospital part of Medicare, has a deductible of $1,364 per benefit period in 2019. What this means for a Medicare client is they pay $1,364 if they are admitted as an in-patient at a hospital. The Medicare Part A benefit period begins when you are admitted to a facility and ends when you have not received inpatient hospital or Medicare-covered skilled care in a skilled nursing facility for 60 days in a row. The benefit period is not tied to the calendar year, and you can have multiple Part A deductibles in a year.
Medicare Part B also has a deductible, for 2019, it is $185. The Part B deductible is for the year and will reset each January. After the deductible has been met, Medicare covers 80% of approved Medicare costs.
Medicare Part D, the prescription part of Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), have varying deductibles based on the plan selected. There is a deductible maximum of $415 per calendar year in 2019, for Part D plans.
There are programs that can help pay for Medicare deductibles if you qualify. They are based on income and asset levels. For help with the Medicare Part D deductible a couple’s income would need to be below $24,930 a year and assets under $28,720 and a single person with income under $18,450 and assets under $14,390.
There has been much discussion about the Missouri Property Tax Credit (MO-PTC) also known as the Circuit Breaker. This program is a refundable tax credit for seniors or those who are 100% disabled, it refunds a portion of the paid real estate tax or paid rent.
The amount returned is based on taxes/rent paid and total household income. For renters income limit is $27,500 for a single person and $29,500 for a married couple. If you own your home, the limit is $30,000 for a single person and $34,000 for a couple.
If you have questions or more information, please call Aging Matters 800-392-8771.
Last Updated on February 08th 2019 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/vc2r/Age-Spots-Meeting-the-Deductible-and-other-New-Year-treats-by-Jackie-Dover
Age Spots: Can I Sit Here? by Jackie Dover
January 01st 2019 by Dee Loflin
Can I Sit Here?
Bullying is not a new topic; children have been bullying one another for decades. What I have found recently is that bullying can be a problem for those of all ages. Adult bullying does often look like the bullying you see on a playground, it just takes place in senior housing, church, senior centers or even at the place of employment.
Bullying is a distinct pattern of deliberately harming or humiliating others, usually involving an imbalance of power. With seniors, the bullying is usually not physical but insults, isolation and demeaning the other person. Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me, is a nursery rhyme we have all heard, but words can hurt. Calling people insulting and derogatory names is a major weapon of a bully.
Name-calling seeks to separate the victim and make those around them see them in a negative light. It also serves to make the victim feel bad about who they are. Continued insults and put downs can affect how a person sees themselves; it can also influence how those around them see them. The insults could be based on real or perceived difference but the outcome is the same.
Isolating a victim is also a common bullying tactic. “Saving seats” for friends seems like an innocent act, but if the purpose is to exclude people from sitting at “your” table then it is bullying. I have had clients tell me stories of trying to sit in a pew or at a table and people told them they could not sit there it was reserved for Friend X. This was repeated at several seats; soon the person just gave up and no longer goes there.
They felt isolated and excluded, which they were.
Acts of bullying can include:
+Mocking
+Threatening
+Isolating
+Gossiping
+Destroying property
+Physical violence
So what can be done to eliminate senior bullying? First, of all if you see someone being bullied, speak up, we all know right from wrong so if it feels wrong it probably is. Speak to someone in charge and make him or her aware of the situation, they cannot fix a problem they do not know is there. Finally, be kind. If you see someone being mistreated you can always be the person that invites them to sit by you. Be the person they can turn to. As the saying goes, treat others, as you would like to be treated. That applies at every age.
Last Updated on January 01st 2019 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/vbqc/Age-Spots-Can-I-Sit-Here--by-Jackie-Dover
Age Spots by Jackie Dover - Medicare Quickies
October 23rd 2018 by Dee Loflin
Medicare Quickies
Many people are asking where their new Medicare cards are and what they have to do to get them. New Medicare cards are on the way, they should be here by the end of the year and you only have to make sure the address Social Security has for you is up to date. Medicare will not call you and ask for your information to send you a card. Medicare will not charge you for your new card either. Several people in our area have received calls that they must send $5-25 to get their card, that is a scam. Please do not give your Medicare or Social Security number out to someone who calls you on the phone.
Another recent question is what to do with letters and information that promotes a website Medicare.com to access Medicare information. That site is not in any way affiliated with Medicare. If you need Medicare information, you can go to Medicare.gov. The .gov is important and lets you know you are on the real Medicare governmental site. If the internet is not a way you like to communicate, you can also call 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227). Aging Matters will happily help with your Medicare questions, 800-392-8771.
Medicare also has changes to the cost; the standard Medicare Part B premium will be $135.50. Some will pay less because the Social Security COLA raise of 2.8% will not cover an increase. Those with higher incomes (over $85,000 for a person filing single or $107,000 for a couple filing jointly) could pay more. If you have limited income and assets you might qualify for help with your Medicare costs, call Aging Matters to see. The Medicare Part A deductible will increase to $1364 per benefit period and the Part B deductible will increase $2 to $185.
Many Part D plans are changing and we have already begun to help beneficiaries sort through the plans available. Open Enrollment for Medicare Part B continues until December 7. Please check your plan to make sure you are in the best plan for you. If you have any questions about Medicare, please call Aging Matters, 800-392-8771 or 573-335-3331.
Last Updated on October 23rd 2018 by Dee Loflin
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/vbee/Age-Spots-by-Jackie-Dover--Medicare-Quickies
