Missouri seniors could soon face new challenges after Aging Matters organizations see funding lapse

MISSOURI(KBSI) – Seniors in Missouri could soon face some new challenges after a possible funding lapse to aging matters organizations.

Lana Johnson is the Executive Director of Aging Matters in Cape Girardeau, talking about the detrimental impact of seniors not receiving much needed services that Aging Matters offers.

“Three months for an older person not getting meals that their used to having it could be a decline in their health. As they say you are what you eat so without the food that you need for nourishment for your body there could definently be some decline there” says Johnson. When you’re talking about transportation and needing to get to a doctor some of the transportation programs that we fund wouldn’t necessarily have those dollars.” 

According to Julie Peetz, Executive Director of Area Agencies on Aging this could soon be a reality for Missouri seniors after there could be a delay in disbursing funding after March. Peetz shares why this could happen.

“The really challenging thing is that the funding is available, it exists, it’s already been allocated but the problem right now is the state anticipates having exhausted spending authority” says Peetz.

Peetz says the person who has the authority to disburse that funding to Missouri agencies will not have the authority after March. They are unsure how this situation happened. Peetz says they are asking Missouri Legislatures to sign off on the authority to release funding after March before thousands of seniors lose services.

There are 10 Aging Matters Agencies in Missouri that provide services such as in- home health, transportation to doctor appointments, and cooked meals to more than a hundred fifty thousand seniors in the state, and about 28,000 seniors in jut Southeast Missouri. Peetz says the funding lapse would last three months and have a big effect on older persons. 

“It’s a scary thought truly. So many of the seniors that we provide for are isolated. As you know in the Cape Girardeau area there’s a lot of seniors that are isolated in rural areas. If you don’t have transportation, or any kind of mobility challenges it’s impossible to get to the store. The risk of what could happen to someone who has no way to get around it very likely could up in needing nursing care facility.” 

Lana Johnson Executive Director of Aging Matters of Cape Girardeau says the lack of funding would cause agencies to have to make cuts in programs.

“Those agencies would take those dollars and use them for agencies for older persons so without those dollars, less dollars than anticipated each area agency of anti-aging would have to decide which services they would cut back on.” 

Aging Matters Directors encourage seniors and families to reach out to state legislatures to make them more aware of the situation and how important and vital the need for senior care is in Missouri.

How you can help

• Contact your state representative and senator to make them more aware of the situation.
• Contact House Budget Committee members and the Senate Appropriations Committee to quickly pass Gov. Kehoe’s Supplemental Budget.
• Authorization on the authority must be passed by both House and Senate so making all party’s aware of the situation is crucial.

To find updates on the situation Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging | MA4.