Here in Lafayette County, we take pride in looking out for our neighbors, especially our seniors. These Missourians spent their lives building our communities, raising families, working our farms and businesses, and volunteering wherever help was needed. That’s why the recent cuts to senior service funding in Missouri’s state budget are so concerning. They deserve to age with dignity, yet this budget effectively writes them out of the state’s priorities.

The Missouri General Assembly’s budget decision suggests that the needs of our older citizens may not be receiving the attention they require. Deep cuts to funding for Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) leave Missouri’s seniors struggling without adequate support.

Programs supported through Area Agencies on Aging are not luxuries. They are lifelines for many older adults in our community. Services like home-delivered meals, transportation to doctor visits, and in-home assistance help our seniors remain healthy, independent, and connected. These vital services are now at risk. As our senior population continues to increase, reducing these programs is not only unfair but also fiscally irresponsible. The Higginsville Senior Center alone served 12,456 meals during the last fiscal year. The Margaret Gray Center in Lexington served 17,199 meals alone to local seniors. Those numbers represents more than food. They represent neighbors being cared for, seniors having daily socialization, and families knowing their loved ones are not forgotten.

Missouri has always valued hard work, family, and community responsibility. We should honor those values by ensuring our seniors can age with dignity and security. While this year’s budget decisions may already be finalized, our legislators still have the opportunity and the responsibility to make senior services a priority moving forward.

How we care for our elders says a great deal about who we are as a state and a community. Higginsville has always stepped up for its people. Our state should do the same. Missouri can and must do better. Our seniors built this state. The least we can do is ensure they can live their later years with security, dignity, and respect.

It’s time to show real respect for the men and women who made Missouri strong. Signed, Care Connection for Aging Services