Nance: State Spending, Jobs Bill, Winter Storms

"For several decades, I have tried to tell my children about the winters of my youth. They usually would respond with humor and imply that I certainly must have exaggerated the frequency and amount of snow I remembered.  Well children, when you tell your kids about the winter of 2009-2010, we will see how you feel when they laugh in disbelief."     Anonymous

At the Capitol

I have returned to Jefferson City this week and the 2^nd half of the Missouri 95^th General Assembly has officially started.

The most important issue for our state this session will be state spending for the remainder of this session and the budget for next year. Revenues are down and the governor has had to once again cut spending.  The three cuts to date total over 800 million dollars and that is after a billion dollars received from the stimulus money.

A jobs bill will be offered and should be fast tracked as we work to bring more employment opportunities to Missouri. This is something that the Governor and General Assembly both agree on and will work toward.

In the District

With the winter storm well in progress, if you know seniors and especially seniors who live alone, please check on them to be sure they are okay and have food and heat.  Diane Gonzalez of the Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center and Martha Buckman of the Good Samaritan Center have put together 48 "winter food packs" for local residents known to be homebound. The goal is to eventually provide these packs (which will contain items like soup, cereal, bread, peanut butter and crackers and other easy-to-prepare food) to as many as 90 regular attendees at the Excelsior Springs Senior Center, which is expected to be closed the rest of this week.

If you need help or know of someone who needs help, the Excelsior Springs Proactive Response Organization may be reached at 629-3160 or contact your local police department. Thanks to the Excelsior Springs Job Corp Center who will be answering the phones and directing people and assisting callers in whatever way possible.

I am also attaching an email from Sally King, who is with Tri-County Mental Health Services. The holidays are sometimes tougher on our seniors. [Click here to read it.]

Lawson High School student, Rebecca Heckert, won the Missouri Youth Adult Alliance Red Ribbon Statewide Contest with her poster (photo at right taken with her newly won computer, picture by David Blyth). The alliance works against alcohol and drug abuse.

Please forward this to friends on your email list. If they would like to receive an update throughout the session, they can email me and I will make sure they receive my report.

In your service
Bob Nance

Battles Begin to Fight Holiday Blues

Call it the “winter blues,” seasonal affective disorder or just holiday stress, but cold-weather and holiday-related depression are prevalent—and rarely more widespread than among older adults.

“The holidays can be a very hard time for older adults,” says Sally King, Older Adult Care Coordinator for Tri-County Mental Health Services. “It’s a difficult time of year, but the holidays amplify any feelings of grief or loss that often stay dormant during most of the year."

Everything from dark winter days to financial issues affects older adults along with everyone else. However, seniors often face additional issues of grief and loss, health questions and other challenges. In addition, many older adults have never been comfortable addressing mental health issues.

“There is often more of a stigma with older people to acknowledge depression or other mental health questions,” King said. “They’re more apt to say it’s just something they need to ‘get over.’ But we know that people often don’t just ‘get over’ clinical depression. We also know there are a lot of things, often easy things that we can use to combat it.”

Many of the ideas that King shares with professional caregivers, groups and organizations like churches tell the story. “There are a lot of strategies that individuals and groups can use,” she noted. “Even simple things like diet can make a difference.”

Some issues are more serious. Older adults who have lost family or friends—sometimes a frequent occurrence for the elderly—need extra help from family and friends. Although loss is never joyful, keeping it from becoming chronic depression is serious but achievable.

“It might just be a matter of being a good listener and just acknowledging the grief and loss,” King noted. “Or it could mean a family member needs to look beyond a public mask to see that he or she might need a little help – in-home therapy, or maybe even medication.”

Founder of the Aging and Mental Health Coalition of Kansas City North, King works to increase awareness of older-adult depression, trains volunteers and professionals in person-centered care and addresses treatment issues, including with the state of Missouri. In addition to working directly with older adults, she also provides free information and is available for talks and presentation. “Depression in never a normal part of aging” King notes. “However, feeling grief and loss around the holidays can be very normal – it’s a myth that we should always feel “wonderful” during this time. For many, we just need to cope through this time of year – and that’s okay. ”

For more information on Tri-County’s Older Adult programs, contact Sally King at (816) 877-0453 or email sallyk@tri-countymhs.org.