New Missouri Senior Resource Line offers info on variety of health and safety services

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – The state of Missouri has a brand new useful resource phoneline for senior residents that can join callers to native well being and security info. The service goals to be a one-stop-shop for folks 60 years-and-older.

As you’ll be able to inform from the packed car parking zone on the Southside Senior Heart in Springfield on Tuesday, the guests are comfortable to be again out on this planet following the pandemic and the Missouri Division of Well being and Senior Providers is attempting to make their lives somewhat simpler by providing that useful resource line. By calling 1-800-235-5503 and coming into your zip code, you’ll be transferred to your native Space Company on Growing old the place you may get info on varied companies close to you.

“The objective of data help is to be answering questions after which discovering assets based mostly on these wants,” defined Jennifer Tennison with Springfield’s SeniorAge Company on Growing old, which serves 17 counties. “For instance if somebody wants home-delivery meals we work with the senior facilities so we will get them set as much as get meals.”

“We ship over 2,000 frozen meals per week and people numbers enhance weekly,” mentioned Teena Jacobs, who runs the Southside Senior Heart on Freemont in Springfield. “And we in all probability add a mean of five-or-six new shoppers per week.”

Nevertheless it’s not simply meals.

Right here’s a rundown of a few of the main areas you may get info on:

– Info and help (serving to to supply info to get the person or their caregiver to the right applications and companies to fulfill their wants).

– In-home service (Private care, homemaker, and respite companies for non-Medicaid older adults).

– Transportation.

– Senior authorized help (companies supplied by authorized aids or non-public attorneys, paid for by the AAAs).

– Vitamin (each home-delivered and congregate meals).

– Illness prevention and well being promotion applications (applications designed to assist older adults keep wholesome and handle any illnesses they could have).

– Household caregiver assist (caregiver respite, assist teams, coaching, supplemental provides like relies upon, liquid vitamin, sturdy medical gear, and so forth.).

– Lengthy-term care ombudsman companies working to enhance the standard of life for residents of long-term care by means of advocacy, schooling and empowerment.).

The AAAs additionally present quite a lot of different companies to fulfill the wants of people of their areas. These companies can be found free to anybody over the age 60 no matter earnings. Household caregiver companies can assist any caregiver over the age of 18.

“Loads of our applications are need-based,” Tennison identified. “Meaning you qualify in line with earnings. So we display screen them to see if we might help them qualify for state help applications like meals stamps and issues of that nature.”

And having a clearing home of data multi functional place is effective for seniors.

“As a result of it will get very complicated if you need to name tons of various locations,” Jacobs mentioned. “However for those who can name only one quantity they usually can provide you all the data, that’s essential.”

However one factor to pay attention to is that you’ll not get your solutions instantly. If you name the quantity and punch in your zip code, you’ll initially get a recording.

“You permit your title, cellphone quantity and a quick message after which info assistants will name again inside a day or so,” Tennison mentioned.

That’s due to the amount of calls and that these offering help have to collect the data you’re searching for.

However whether or not you’re on the senior heart or the Company on Growing old, you’ll be able to inform the demand for companies continues to extend.

“Dramatically,” Jacobs mentioned of the rise in guests on the senior heart. “Since I began 10 years in the past our numbers have about tripled.”

And it’s the identical on the Company on Growing old.

“Our cellphone calls have elevated lots currently simply because everyone seems to be struggling to purchase groceries,” Tennison mentioned.

You’ll be able to be taught extra about Missouri’s senior and incapacity companies at well being.mo.gov/seniors.

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