Seniors Matter is a new charitable fund that will support local agencies that provide services for seniors.  These services include providing seniors with meals, independent living services, adult day services and caregiver support.  The fund was started in response to a combination of funding cuts and a growing senior population that needs assistance.  The Community Foundation of Central Missouri will administer the Seniors Matter fund which will officially launch on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at the Columbia Area Senior Center.

In January, the Heart of Missouri United Way announced a major shift in their operations to the “Community Impact” model.  The new model focuses on supporting agencies that work with impoverished children and families.  Seniors Matter, established in association with the Boone County Council on Aging, Meals on Wheels, and MU Adult Day Connection, is meant to close the funding gap created by the new model.

Join us to help John Baker from the Community Foundation of Central Missouri, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, the Boone County Council on Aging, Meals on Wheels, and the Adult Day Connection, at the official kickoff on Wednesday July 18th at 10:00 am at the Senior Center in Columbia, 1121 Business Loop 70 East, Columbia, MO 65201.  Click here for a flyer that you can use as a reminder and to help spread the word!

According to an AP article that can be found on Bloomberg Business Weekly, MO HealthNet (Medicaid) is getting a shot in the arm from the federal government starting this week. The State of Missouri has been approved for a federal program which could result in up to one hundred million dollars of additional funds being available to MO HealthNet. The enhanced funding comes from an increase in the rate at which the federal government will match state dollars allocated to in-home and community-based services provided by MO HealthNet. This funding will be available from July 1 through September 30, 2015.

If you are currently faced with making decisions regarding how to finance health care, whether you are a caregiver, or planning for yourself, we can advise you and help you make those tough decisions. We have experienced attorneys who can provide you with options in order to create a plan that works for you. If you would like to learn more about how we can help with these decisions, contact us via e-mail or telephone today.

The summer months are a great time to enjoy the outdoors.  However, they also can mean days of sweltering heat.  Today is a testament to that.   Today the thermometer reads nearly 100 degrees (again).

While everyone should take care to protect themselves from the heat, seniors should take extra precaution.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), older adults and those with chronic medical conditions are more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

According to the CDC, the following are signs of heat exhaustion: muscle cramps, fatigue, headache, nausea or vomiting, pulse rate that is fast and weak, and rapid and shallow breathing. Left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is a life-threatening illness.  Signs of heat stroke include a high body temperature, red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating), rapid, strong pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and unconsciousness.

Older adults can prevent these heat-related illnesses by drinking plenty of water, avoiding consuming alcoholic beverages, and staying in the air conditioning.  Family members, friends, and care-givers should check in with seniors regularly to check for signs of heat-related illnesses.

Each summer, KOMU TV8 partners with the Voluntary Action Center and the United Way of Mid Missouri to distribute fans to help people beat the heat.  For information about donating a fan to this program, visit KOMU’s Fan Club website.

If you are in need of a fan, please contact relevant agency below:

Voluntary Action Center (Boone County) – 573-874-2273
United Way of Central Missouri (Cole, Miller, Monteau, Osage, and parts of Boone and Callaway Counties) – 573-636-4100
Serve, Inc. (Callaway County) – 573-642-6388

A recent article from The Trust Advisor highlights a new breed of debt collectors.  These collection companies specialize in collecting debts from the estates of people who were in debt, especially credit card debt, at the time of their death.

Many survivors, including widows, parents and children, receive calls from these collectors attempting to collect from the estate.  The Trust Advisor article suggests that these debt collectors are using a new tactic: they are convincing grieving family members that they need to pay off their loved one’s debt, even though there may be no legal obligation to do so!

If you are receiving these types of phone calls, you should contact a probate attorney who can help you with your loved one’s estate and let you know your rights.  Additionally, if an attorney is representing the estate, the debt collectors cannot call you anymore.  They have to direct all communication to the attorney.

If you need help wrapping up your loved one’s affairs or have questions about your rights or obligations as an executor or heir, do not hesitate to contact us and schedule an appointment.

Land and permanent attachments to the land, including buildings, fences, and all the permanent attachments to the buildings, including heating, plumbing, lighting, masonry, and other fixtures.

A fixed right to receive an interest in property, whether now or in the future, which cannot be taken away and is not contingent upon the happening of any other event. This should be contrasted with a contingent interest, which may or may not vest upon the happening or occurrence of any particular event.

The liquidation of a partnership or corporation by finishing current business, settling accounts, turning property into cash, and splitting up the assets.

A business owned by one person, as distinguished from a partnership or corporation. This type of business is not incorporated and does not provide liability protection for its owner.

A form of corporation, allowed by the IRS for most companies with 75 or fewer shareholders, which enables the company to enjoy the benefits of incorporation but be taxed as if it were a partnership. The name derives from subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code which governs the taxation of this type of corporation. S corporations’ profits are passed through to shareholders and taxed at the personal rates of the shareholders. S corporations have limits on the numbers and types of shareholders.

Type of a Missouri corporations formed under Chapter 356 RSMo. Only persons licensed in certain professions are eligible to be shareholders in this type of corporate entity. These professions include: accountants; architects; attorneys; chiropractors; dentists; engineers; optometrists; physicians, surgeons, doctors of medicine; doctors of osteopathy; psychologists; veterinarians; registered nurses; realtors; and physical therapists.