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.
The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) is pleased to announce the Dexter License Office has taken the Customer Service Commitment pledge. Department Director Wayne Wallingford stated, “Our goal is to improve the customer service experience at Missouri license offices by providing more accurate and timely transactions in a courteous and friendly manner.”
The Customer Service Commitment pledge is one way the DOR works with Missouri’s local license offices to improve accuracy, reduce wait times, and make obtaining and renewing licenses more pleasant. “We are excited to take this pledge and want to do all we can to help our customers obtain their titles, registrations and licenses in the most convenient way possible,” said Dexter License Office Agent Ray Rowland.
Each license office that takes the pledge will post a sign that demonstrates a commitment to the following:
· Processing each transaction accurately;
· Treating each customer courteously; and
· Respecting each customer’s time.
Since the pandemic, the DOR has done everything possible to enhance online and mail-in options, while also ensuring customers can reach out and get the help they need from the local license offices in their communities. Director Wallingford added, “We want to ensure all our citizens are treated professionally and get the help they need when obtaining their transactions online, through the mail, or in-person at a local office.”
To receive assistance from the Dexter office for any motor vehicle and driver licensing need, a citizen can call or visit the office at:
119 Vine Street, Dexter, MO 63841
Office (573) 624-8808
Fax (573) 624-8724
Dexter, MO - A rare image of Week’s Theater (Dexter) in 1933 looking east.
Charlie Weeks moved from Indiana just before the turn of the century and opened his first theater as a wooden open air theater in 1906 near the corner of Locust and Stoddard.
Twenty years later he built a brick theater and in 1939 he built the Art Deco influenced building that still stands.
The building pictured was the structure that Grandpa and Uncle Gene watched the Wizard Oz in. They collected glass bottles to raise the money for tickets. The line on the opening day stretched down the entire block.
From the Paul Arnold Collection - Hope you enjoy!
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.
Lexi and Honey are looking for their forever home!
Lexi is a lab mix weighing 40 lbs and believed to be senior dog at 10 years of age.
Honey is a golden retriever mix weighing 35 lbs and is around 6 years old.
They are up-to-date on vaccinations and are heartworm negative.
Honey and Lexi are the sweetest girls and have bee in the care of Jessica Georger at Muddy Paws LLC in Dexter for about two weeks.
They are up for adoption so if you are interested in more information or visiting with them please call Muddy Paws at 573-614-5748.
