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Name: AARP

Location:
Kansas City, Missouri
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http://www.aarp.org/mo

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My Journals (87)

Missourians Stopping Adult Financial Exploitation to debut DVD

For Immediate Release:

April 23, 2008

Contact:

Nanci Gonder

573-751-6062

Officials Unveil Second Phase of Project to Stop Exploitation of Disabled and Elderly

Everybody Loves Raymond Star Doris Roberts Helps Spread Message

JEFFERSON CITY –Missouri officials today unveiled the second phase in a project designed to help prevent a fast-growing crime—financial exploitation of the elderly and disabled. MOSAFE (Missourians Stopping Adult Financial Exploitation) offers a training kit to seniors and the public, including a DVD, to help them spot the warning signs of financial exploitation and take steps to prevent it. Financial exploitation occurs when someone illegally uses another person’s money or property for profit or gain.

Gov. Matt Blunt introduces the new DVD by alerting seniors to the seriousness of financial exploitation.

“Protecting vulnerable Missourians from this fast-growing crime is one of the most important responsibilities of my office,” Gov. Blunt said. “We must stop those who prey on seniors and the disabled and prevent the theft of seniors’ life savings.”

Five-time Emmy Award-winning actress Doris Roberts, best known as the nosy, insufferable Marie Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond, narrates the new DVD. The DVD is the second one offered by MOSAFE. The first video debuted in 2005 and provided training to financial institutions to help them recognize and report suspicious behavior by their customers and help prevent or intervene in cases of financial abuse.

Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, in his role as Missouri’s Official Senior Advocate, explains the vulnerable nature of this personally intrusive crime. “Most financial exploitation cases are not reported because of the emotional bond between the victim and perpetrator. The typical victim is an elderly female who lives alone and is too confused or ashamed to report the crime. The typical perpetrator is one of her adult children.”

The new DVD features real-life cases of financial exploitation portrayed by actors from Jefferson City’s Little Theater and DHSS employees. From within Missouri’s coffee shops, homes and financial institutions, you will meet Uncle George and his nephew Michael, who insists that Uncle George sign over his Social Security checks to cover Michael’s failing business. In another scenario, Ted, and his girlfriend, Anne, steal a blank check from a woman in Anne’s care. After writing the check for a generous amount, the couple cruises to the local bank hoping for some easy cash.

Jane Drummond, director of DHSS, said the department is concerned about situations it has investigated where the elderly and disabled have been financially exploited. “The consequences of financial exploitation are devastating for anyone, but the elderly, unlike the young, do not have 15 or 20 more income-earning years to recover,” said Drummond. “Once an elderly person’s home or bank account has been lost or looted, these assets are generally irreplaceable.”

A brochure and slide show accompany the DVD, to supplement the training for seniors and the public. The department and a host of private and public partners, including financial institutions, law enforcement and Missouri’s Area Agencies on Aging, hope that increased public awareness will assist in stopping financial exploitation from destroying thousands of lives.

AARP, Missouri’s financial institution associations, and the Missouri Alliance of Area Agencies on Aging sponsored MOSAFE. The MOSAFE DVDs are uniquely designed so they can be customized for use by other states. They, and their accompanying training materials, may be accessed at http://www.dhss.mo.gov/MOSAFE/.

Additional senior advocacy information can be accessed through the Lt. Governor’s Web site at http://www.ltgov.mo.gov/.

Additional information:

The MOSAFE consumer edition will be available May 15, 2008 and will be presented by “Speak Out!” AARP Missouri speakers bureau volunteers. You can request a speaker by calling 866-389-5627 or email aarpmo@aarp.org

Added: April 28, 2008
Views: 473 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0

Free Transportation to Powell Gardens

This post is provided on behalf of Powell Gardens by AARP as a public service

Please pass it on! The Sprint Foundation and Joan & Bert Berkley have provided generous funding to operate a FREE shuttle from the Kauffman Memorial Garden at 4800 Rockhill Road in Kansas City on particular dates as follows:

May 10-11 Mother’s Day Weekend Chapungu opening weekend

June 14-15 Father’s Day Weekend Special performances, Plus Chapungu

August 8-9-10 Festival of Butterflies Plus Chapungu

August 15-16-17 Festival of Butterflies Plus Chapungu

August 30 31& September 1 Labor Day Weekend Chapungu continues

Each day, there will be two trips as follows:

Trip One: Leaves the Kauffman Memorial Garden at 9:00 a.m. and leaves Powell Gardens at 1:00 p.m.

Trip Two: Leave the Kauffman Memorial Garden at 12:00 p.m. and leaves Powell Gardens at 4:00 p.m.

This season, we are presenting Chapungu – Nature, Man and Myth. These 54 monumental stone sculptures from Zimbabwe tell stories. Stories of nature, stories of man and family, stories of myth and legend. Watch, learn and listen with sculpting demonstrations and workshops by artists in residence, weekend discovery stations and performances throughout the exhibit.

In August the Festival of Butterflies will feature our indoor conservatory full of free-flight butterflies, plus the Chapungu exhibition throughout the Gardens.

Please contact me with any questions. Thank you for your interest in Powell Gardens.

Thanks!

- Don Schreiner MPA CFRE

Director of Development

Powell Gardens, Inc.

1609 NW US Highway 50

Kingsville, MO 64061

816-697-2600 x 238 office

816-564-3097 cell

www.powellgardens.org

Visit our new Blog: www.powellgardens.blogspot.com

Added: April 23, 2008
Views: 464 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0

Walking Program in Cape Girardeau

OLD TOWN WALK AROUND

April 4, 2008 through June 6, 2008

Join us for four FREE workshops of fun and education - with a twist! Each workshop will be based on how to take better care of yourself so you can live a long and healthy life. Health and fitness professionals will bring you great information and you will have Walk Around "tour guides" to assist you in your activities.

All events are FREE - Bring your lawn chairs, your family and your friends!

To register and more information call the SEMO Area Agency on Aging at

573-335-3331 or 800-392-8771

Co-Sponsoring with AARP:

Southeast Missouri Hospital

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging

University of Missouri Extension

Fitness Plus - A Service of Saint Frances Medical Center

Added: March 27, 2008
Views: 585 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0

Missouri Mid-Session Legislative Update

The Missouri General Assembly Legislative Session has hit the halfway point so what’s been happening?

Health Care

Insure Missouri

The session began with one idea for expanding health coverage on the table – Insure Missouri. The first phase of this program, proposed by Governor Matt Blunt, would have covered working parents and caregivers with MO HealthNet if their incomes were below 100% of the federal poverty level ($20,650 per year for a family of four). Parents who have health coverage are much more likely to ensure that their children have health coverage as well, further increasing the impact of this program.

The first phase of this program was slated to be implemented through administrative rule due to powers granted to the administration in legislation passed during the 2007 session. The General Assembly had other plans, however. Opposition to a Medicaid expansion without it being passed through the legislative process was bipartisan and nearly universal. It was because of this opposition that the administration withdrew their request for an emergency rule to implement the program, the non-emergency, proposed rule continues to work through the process.

Legislation

Several bills have been introduced to expand access to state health services. House Bill 1868, sponsored by Representative Rebecca McClanahan (D-Kirksville), would restore coverage in MO HealthNet to the eligibility for Medicaid before the 2005 cuts.

House Bill 2354 by Representative Charles Portwood (R-St. Louis County) would allow parents of minor children to qualify for MO HealthNet coverage with certain income disregards for necessary expenses such as child care. The nature of the disregards make it difficult to know how many Missourians would be covered under this bill, but the ideas are certainly worth exploring.

House Bill 2893 by Representative Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph) would implement a program similar to the Insure Missouri proposal by the administration. The bill however has several odd exceptions that don’t appear in the original proposal.

In the Senate, Senator Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles County) has introduced Senate Bill 1283 which would make many changes to the original MO HealthNet statutes passed less than a year ago. Instead of restoring or expanding coverage, Sen. Dempsey’s bill focuses on giving tax credits to employers to provide health coverage to the employees and stricter enforcement of cost savings measures.

Budget

The House Budget Committee passed their version of the State Budget just before leaving for spring break. The House cut back the Governor’s request by more than $200 million. Under House rules, the total appropriations in the final House Budget cannot exceed the appropriations in the budget introduced by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee. This is significant because it means that any increase in one line item must be balanced with a decrease of another line item.

House Budget Highlights:

A $1 million new decision item for Missouri’s Area Agencies on Aging had been cut from the introduced budget, but was reinstated by committee amendment.
An amendment offered by Representative Margaret Donnelly (D-St. Louis) increased funding for in-home therapies for the elderly by $390,000.
Funding for Insure Missouri (see above) was cut from the House Budget. Most likely, this will mean that either the Senate will have to put the funding in their budget or legislation to implement Insure Missouri will have to be passed.
Due to language in the statutes, expanded eligibility for state health services, up to 100% of federal poverty, can be implemented in the State Budget. The House Budget DOES NOT include funding for this expansion.
Due to language passed in the MO HealthNet bill last session, services offered in state health services may be expanded to include dental and optical services within the State Budget. The House Budget DOES NOT include funding to include these services. An amendment offered by Representative Robert Schaaf, would have restored this funding, but the amendment was withdrawn.

The House Budget will be discussed by the entire House in the first floor session upon returning from spring break.

Utilities

This session, Senator Maida Coleman introduced Senate Bill 720, a bill that, if passed, would implement a “hot weather rule”. Similar to the cold weather rule, this bill would prohibit utility companies from disconnecting service on days when the temperature is expected to rise above 95 degrees Fahrenheit or the heat index is expected to rise above 105 degrees.

While this is a small step toward ensuring that Missourians, especially vulnerable Missourians with fixed incomes, are safe from the dangerous effects of extreme heat, AARP believes that this will raise the baseline of moral expectations for utility companies and can be used to further expand those expectations.

Consumer Protection

Several bills have been introduced this year that would allow consumers to place a “security freeze” on their credit report if they fear that someone has stolen their identity. It is AARP’s position that people should be allowed to place a security freeze on their credit report free of charge, it is, after all, their information. Further, credit reporting agencies should place the freeze within a matter of days of receiving a written request, and within hours of receiving an electronic request.

Senate Bill 712, sponsored by Senator Michael Gibbons (R-St. Louis County) would allow consumers to place one security freeze free of charge (up to $10 for further freezes) and requires that the freeze be put in place within five days of receiving the request. Senate Bill 712 is currently on the Senate Calendar and was combined with Senate Bill 882 by Senator Timothy Green (D-St. Louis County).

House Bill 1809, sponsored by Representative Don Ruzicka (R-Lawrence County) would allow credit reporting agencies to charge up to $10 for beginning or temporarily lifting a security freeze, but not for removing one. There is no exemption from the fee for seniors over the age of 65 or victims of identity theft. The House Special Committee on Financial Institutions passed the bill with “consent status” which would have allowed the bill to move more quickly. The Rules Committee returned the bill to the committee of origin because it should not have been passed with consent status. HB 1809 has been combined with HB 2173, sponsored by Representative Sally Faith (R-St. Charles).

TABOR (Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights)

TABOR, a spending and revenue cap that was passed in the State of Colorado, has become synonymous with failed fiscal policy. In Colorado, TABOR led to drastic cuts across the board - education, higher education, healthcare, and transportation all suffered. All of this in a state that started from a significantly better fiscal position than Missouri is currently in.

Anyone who has found themselves in need of health services in the past several years – who doesn’t have the benefit of the sort of quality health insurance members of the Missouri General Assembly are afforded – can tell you that healthcare costs are increasing at rates significantly greater than the rate of inflation. Nearly 40% of state revenue is spent on healthcare for our most vulnerable citizens. Passage of TABOR in Missouri would ensure that the miserable coverage currently offered in the State of Missouri would not only continue, but would continue to worsen as the years past.

Representative Allen Icet (R-St. Louis County) has introduced a House Joint Resolution 70 this session. This legislation would institute the spending cap included in TABOR. The revenue cap is already in place in Missouri.

It is the position of AARP that this constitutional amendment, if passed, would greatly limit the State’s ability to care for Missouri’s most vulnerable citizens. Feel free to contact your Representative to let them know you oppose the passage of HJR 70.

Divided We Fail

AARP, along with the Business Roundtable, the Service Employees International Union, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses has begun a campaign focused on ending partisan gridlock and a continuing conversation around access to health care and lifetime financial security.

As a part of this initiative, we have been asking elected officials to pledge that they are committed to working with their colleagues across the aisle to develop and implement policies that provide all Americans with access to quality, affordable health care and lifetime financial security. In signing the pledge, they state that they understand that their constituents want answers, action and accountability from their elected officials – not legislative stalemate.

So far, several Missouri elected officials have signed the pledge or letters of support:

Statewide:

Governor Matt Blunt

Senator Claire McCaskill

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder

Attorney General Jay Nixon

Members of Congress:

Congressman Russ Carnahan

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver

Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson

Congressman Ike Skelton

State Senators:

Senator Frank Barnitz

Senator Timothy Green

Senator John Louden

Senator Wes Shoemyer

Senator Yvonne Wilson

State Representatives:

Representative Joe Aull

Representative Judy Baker

Representative Craig Bland

Representative Michael Corcoran

Representative Shalonn “Kiki” Curls

Representative Barney Fisher

Representative Jeff Grisamore

Representative Belinda Harris

Representative Jeff Harris

Representative Juanita Head Walton

Representative Rodney Hubbard

Representative Leonard “Jonas” Hughes

Representative Gayle Kingerl

Representative J.C. Kuessner

Representative Sara Lampe

Representative Beth Low

Representative Tim Meadows

Representative Jamilah Nasheed

Representative Brian Nieves

Representative Charlie Norr

Representative Sam Page

Representative Charles Portwood

Representative Paul Quinn

Representative Jeff Roorda

Representative Luke Scavuzzo

Representative Tom Shively

Representative Michael Spreng

Representative Neal St. Onge

Representative Rachael Storch

Representative Rick Stream

Representative Terry Swinger

Representative Tom Todd

Representative Gina Walsh

Representative Billy Pat Wright

Representative Patricia Yeager

Added: March 21, 2008
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Driver Safety Program: Bring A Friend Promotion

May is AARP Driver Safety Program Month

AARP Driver Safety Program (DSP) Bring a Friend promotion

A Safety Gift for You and a Friend – Good May 1st through June 15th 2008

Bring your friend, your spouse, your neighbor, and your family members

During the month of May, AARP members and a friend can attend the AARP Driver Safety Program classroom course together, for just $10.00 – a 50% savings! Both attendees will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course. To receive this special offer, the AARP member must just show their AARP membership card upon arrival on the first day of the course. There has never been a better time to tune up your skills.

Please check with your insurance company or agent prior to taking this course for any additional requirements for eligibility.

To find a DSP course in your area go to:

http://www.aarp.org/families/driver_safety/

Added: March 19, 2008
Views: 710 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 0

AARP's first syndicated TV shows now on the air!

AARP TV Programs: ‘My Generation’ and ‘Inside E Street’ Now Showing on Screens Nationwide

Produced in-house in our award-winning broadcast studio, AARP TV’s first two syndicated television shows are now available to about 29 million households across the country via Retirement Living Television (RLTV). Inside E Street and My Generation features original lifestyle and news content catering to the boomer and 50+ demographic. These two weekly half-hour shows extend from AARP’s lifestyle and news platforms as well as select single-topic specials.

Additional information on AARP TV’s Inside E Street and My Generation can be found online at http://www.aarp.org/leisure/entertainment/tv/ and www.RL.TV.

Added: March 13, 2008
Views: 661 | Comments: 0 | Bookmarks: 1

TABOR Amendment Poised to Pass House

TABOR Headed to House Floor

House Joint Resolution 70, Missouri’s TABOR amendment, is headed to the House Floor. This dangerous constitutional amendment would limit increases in state spending to the rate of inflation.

Anyone who has found themselves in need of health services in the past several years – who doesn’t have the benefit of the sort of quality health insurance members of the Missouri General Assembly are afforded – can tell you that healthcare costs are increasing at rates significantly greater than the rate of inflation. A significant amount of state revenue is spent on healthcare for our most vulnerable citizens. Passage of HJR 70 would ensure that the miserable coverage currently offered in the State of Missouri would not only continue, but would continue to worsen as the years past.

Arguments have been made that restricting revenue will cut the fat out of the State Budget, but the last time that this General Assembly move to “cut the fat”, Missouri’s seniors, disabled, and children paid the price.

Similar proposals to HJR 70, specifically TABOR in Colorado, have become synonymous with failed fiscal policy. In Colorado, TABOR led to drastic cuts across the board, education, higher education, healthcare, and transportation all suffered. All of this in a state that started from a significantly better fiscal position than Missouri is currently in.

If passed, HJR 70 would be bad for education, bad for business, and bad for the people of Missouri. Please take the time to take action tell your State Representative that TABOR isn’t welcome in Missouri.