Missouri Lt. Gov. David Wasinger recently led a national discussion on issues affecting older Americans at the National Lieutenant Governors Association annual meeting in Denver.
As Missouri’s official advocate for seniors, Wasinger said states are exploring ways to make it easier for older adults and caregivers to access services. He pointed to Minnesota’s “single front door” approach, which uses a centralized resource portal for housing, financial assistance and other programs.
“Where you use a clear, centralized portal for senior and caregiver resources, so they don’t have to navigate multiple separate agencies,” Wasinger said. “I think Missouri would be well served to look at states like Minnesota who use a single front door model and begin adopting that.”
Wasinger said seniors across Missouri face challenges with transportation, technology, caregiver support, and financial exploitation.
“Protecting our seniors requires a lot of communication,” Wasinger said.
Looking ahead to the 2027 Missouri legislative session, Wasinger said he would like lawmakers to focus on strengthening protections for older Missourians. He said priorities include tougher penalties for elder abuse and financial fraud, improved access to state and local resources, expanded transportation options for medical care and partnerships with employers to create flexible work opportunities for older adults.
“Crack down harder on elder abuse and financial fraud,” Wasinger said. “We’d also like to partner with employers to build flexible roles for seniors who want to stay engaged.”
Leaders from across the country attended the Denver meeting to exchange ideas on aging issues, health care, financial security and services for older Americans and their families.
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