Viewpoint: Missoula County Aging Services levy benefits entire community

The challenges, and the costs, of aging can be significant. 

If you’re older, you may lie awake at night worrying about finding affordable homecare, which Medicare plan to choose, or where to live if you are no longer able to stay in your own home.

Missoula Aging Services (MAS) helps make some of these worries go away. This local non-profit helps guide Missoula County residents through the maze of Medicare and prescription drug plans, aids families trying to find affordable home care, and links people to senior living facilities that meet their needs.

Other MAS programs include Meals on Wheels and the Senior Companion program, which help older people age in their own homes by providing them with healthy meals, helping with shopping, getting them to medical appointments, and checking in on their well being. 

Additionally, MAS provides classes and support programs for family caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and it does regular inspections of nursing homes to make sure tenants are receiving high quality care.

These are all critical services that many describe as a “lifeline.” There’s no question about it: MAS changes, and improves, lives. But as our population of older people grows, these programs are in increasing demand. 

The aging population in Missoula County grew 40% between 2010 and 2019, four times the rate of overall population growth, yet funding has not kept pace with the need. MAS programs are stressed as a result. By approving the Missoula County Aging Services Levy in the June 7 primary, we will replace the current, flat levy with a 4-mill levy  to ensure that MAS can sustain these services and keep pace with the demand.

In addition to helping our older friends, neighbors and family members, voting for the levy also benefits our wider community in numerous ways.

By helping older people stay independent and in their own homes, MAS ensures that seniors remain active members of our community who go to local events, support local businesses and non-profits, and continue to work full- or part-time jobs. Older adults have the skills, wisdom and work ethic to perform jobs well.

MAS also serves as a pipeline for community volunteers. Its clients help out in our local schools, with law enforcement and emergency services, and at many of our numerous non-profit organizations, again sharing their passion, wisdom and professional skills for the benefit of our community.

Finally, by providing older adults with the support and resources they need to age well at home, MAS helps people avoid costly institutional care, approximately two-thirds of which is taxpayer funded. As such, MAS provides people with a “hand up” rather than a “hand out,” allowing older adults to pay what they can afford for supplementary home care. 

Please join me in voting for the Missoula County Aging Services Levy. It’s a worthy investment in our entire community and in the people whose lifelong contributions helped make Missoula County the vibrant, thriving place it is today.

Terry Payne is a long-time Missoula business leader. He and his wife Patt, are active in the community, supporting local nonprofits and causes.