Empower Aging!

SLAAA's Newsletter

Silver Hair Legislators

Advocating in Jefferson City

2022

The 49th Annual Conference of the Silver Haired Legislature took place at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City on October 18-20th.The 65 delegates chose their Top Five Priorities and formulated plans to advocate for senior issues during the coming legislative session. They chose these issues:

No Income Tax on Social Security Income
Real Estate Tax Relief for Seniors
Absentee and Early Voting for Seniors
Increase Medicaid Asset Level
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

Spotlight

Ms. Ollie Stewart

Ms. Ollie Stewart, St. Louis Representative for SHL and Executive Director of Southside Wellness Center stands with Patricia Bowers of Aging Ahead and House Speaker Pro-Tem and 1st Vice President of SHL.

Ms. Ollie Stewart was recognized for her amazing journey in community engagement and governmental affairs at the 49th Annual Conference of the Silver Haired Legislature held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City from October 18th-20th.

SHL President, Barb Ittner, spoke to SHL delegates about Ms. Ollie's 30 years of service beginning in 1970 as a management aide trainee with the St. Louis Housing Authority. In 1972, she became the Program Director/Supervisor for five sites for the Near Southside Area Older Adult Program. Realizing there was a need for services to the elderly and disabled, in 1975 she founded the Southside Senior Center and in 1992 the Southside Wellness Center. Both of these institutions provide a wide variety of community services for the senior citizens and adults with disabilities.

---Read more

SHL Public Advocacy Program

How can you stay informed of SHL priority issues and advocate for a better quality of life for seniors? The New Missouri Silver Haired Legislature Public Advocacy Program will create a public SHL email list. Any Missouri citizen of any age can subscribe to the email program, according to newly elected SHL President, John Kramer. He says this program will be designed for the general public as well as SHL delegates.

For more information, contact Victor DaMommio at vdavis8735@gmail.com or go to the following website:

https://www.agingahead.org/missouri-shl

St. Louis Representative, Barbara Grady (above), giving her opinion about a proposal at the SHL Conference.

Provider Highlights

Friendly Village (Robert Fulton, Inc.)

The vegetable garden at Friendly Village (Robert Fulton, Inc) has yielded plenty of okra for the residents.

(Diana Parra Perez of Washington University on left and Beatrice VanZant-Smith, Director, Friendly Village (Robert Fulton, Inc.)

The garden, which is about the size of half a block, also has plenty of greens including mustard, collards, kale, and lettuce. It also has tomatoes and spaghetti squash.

Company and union retirement plans are voluntary. This means that employers are not required to provide a plan. However, once they set up a pension plan or a 401(k), 403(b) or other retirement savings plan, they are required to follow certain rules required by the federal private pension law, the Employee Retirement Security Act, called ERISA, according to the Pension Rights Center.

https://www.pensionrights.org/issue/changes-to-retirement-plans/

October 15

Starts Medicare

Open Enrollment

October 15 marks the beginning of the 2022 Medicare Open Enrollment period for Advantage plans and Part D drug plans.

The Missouri Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) wants to remind older adults to be smart consumers as they consider the plethora of advertising aimed at them through TV, Internet, and mail. Open enrollment period gives Medicare beneficiaries the chance to consider options in prescription drug coverage, as well as the Medicare replacement plans, also called Medicare Advantage plans.

Do You Need Health Insurance?

Do you need health insurance? The rules have changed, and Medicaid through MO Healthnet may be an option for you. See if you qualify by calling the SLAAA office at 314-612-5918.

Metro Reduced Fare Bus Pass Program

October 31, 2022 - June 30, 2023

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St. Louis Area Agency on Aging | Phone: 314-612-5918 | Fax: 314-612-5915

http://www.slaaa.org/