Master Plan on Aging

Master Plan on Aging Town Hall Schedule

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will hold town halls to present the draft Master Plan on Aging to Missouri citizens, local, county, regional, and state government officials and for-profit and non-profit entities. Comments on the draft will be taken at each session. Please consider attending one of the eight opportunities below to learn about the Master Plan on Aging that was developed based on the input of over 10,000 Missourians. The date, time, and location of each session are below. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Bureau of Senior Programs by calling 573-526-4542 or emailing us at MoStatePlanOnAging@health.mo.gov.

New Missouri Statewide Needs Assessment Results

Missouri conducted a statewide needs assessment from June through mid-September 2024. A total of 7,621 individuals completed the statewide needs assessment survey. The results are included in the two reports below.

• 2024 State of Missouri Needs Assessment
• 2024 State of Missouri Supplemental Report
• Full Summary of Open Ended Questions from Missouri's Statewide Needs Assessment

Town Hall Comments

Missouri conducted 10 in-person town halls, one in each of the 10 Area Agency on Aging Regions, and two virtual town halls in February and March 2024. A total of 1,769 participants attended the townhalls and provided over 15,000 comments. These comments are summarized by Area Agency on Aging regions in the map below or use the dropdown to select statewide combined comments.

Overarching Goal

All Missourians, regardless of age or ability, will have access to person-centered programs and services necessary to help them age in their environment of choice in a safe and healthy manner.

7 Broad Goals for the Missouri Master Plan on Aging

Subcommittee	Broad Goal for Subcommittee
Daily Life and Employment	Missourians will live the lives they desire as they age with access to employment options, recreational activities, and opportunities to engage in civic and social opportunities.
Family Caregivers	Family caregivers in Missouri will be adequately trained and have access to resources to provide effective care in support of the care recipient’s choices and their own well-being.
Housing and Aging In Place	Missourians will live where they choose in communities that respect their desire to age with dignity in environments that are safe, healthy, and allow for maximum independence.
Long-Term Services and Supports	Missourians will have access to information to assist them in making an informed choice regarding a continuum of home and community based services; which help them stay safely in their homes for as long as they desire and will also have access to safe, healthy, and inviting options for necessary institutional care.
Safety and Security	Missourians will have education and resources available to them to keep them safe; free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and to help them plan for their financial security in retirement.
Transportation and Mobility	Missourians will have access to safe and reliable transportation and mobility options so they can get to the places they need or desire to go.
Whole Person Health	Missourians will have access to the care and services needed to help them live a safe, healthy life with maximum independence as they age.

Currently, there are more than 1.1 million Missouri citizens over the age of 60. Estimates suggest that older adults will outnumber minors for the first time by 2030 and older adults will greatly outnumber minors by 2060. The U.S. older population is also becoming more diverse. These demographic shifts will have a profound impact on the volume and types of services and support that states provide to older adults and people with disabilities, as well as family caregivers.

On January 19, 2023, Governor Parson signed Executive Order 23-01 to establish a Master Plan on Aging to help reduce age and disability discrimination, eliminate barriers to safe and healthy aging, and help Missourians age with dignity. This Executive Order created an advisory council and tasked DHSS with the development of a plan by Dec. 31, 2025.

A Master Plan on Aging is a cross-sector, state-led strategic resource that can help us transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for our rapidly aging population. The plan will build bridges across government agencies, facilitate collaboration with diverse stakeholders, promote equal access by all, raise awareness among policymakers and the public, establish statewide priorities, and incorporate an aging and disability lens across state priorities beyond traditional health care and community.

In addition to the advisory council, subcommittees were formed to focus on core areas related to healthy aging.

The Master Plan on Aging is being informed by the public through town hall meetings held in the spring of 2024 and a statewide needs assessment survey held in late summer and early fall of 2024.

For more information on the Master Plan on Aging please email Mindy.Ulstad@health.mo.gov or leave a comment or question in the Share Your Thoughts on Aging in Missouri section below.