AARP Missouri COVID-19 State Resources

The ever-changing status of the coronavirus outbreak and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s stay-at-home order requiring Missourians to avoid leaving their places of residence until April 24 has completely changed daily life.

“This is not about any one individual person,” Parson said when announcing his order. “This is about our families, friends, neighbors, and the entire state of Missouri. For the sake of all Missourians, be smart, be responsible, and stay home, Missourians.”

AARP Missouri is providing information and resources to help older residents and their caregivers protect themselves. The follow is a list of resources available in Missouri.

General Information
AARP Coronavirus Response - Aggressive steps are being taken during the illness’ outbreak to inform and protect older Americans. AARP’s site provides the latest advice and resources, including our weekly live Coronavirus Information Tele-Town Hall on Thursdays at noon (CT). You can join by calling toll-free 855-274-9507.

The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services’ COVID-19 Outbreak page has up-to-date case counts along with information on statewide testing sites. The page also includes links to tips about prevention, travel, employment and government actions. The department is running a 24-hour hotline at 877-435-8411.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information about symptoms, prevention and what to do if you have COVID-19.

The St. Louis County COVID-19 & Coronavirus page provides updates for the St. Louis area on changes to county services and county orders, testing locations and fact sheets about the illness. The county is running a 24-hour hotline at 314-615-2660. Residents can also sign up to receive text alerts when new content is added to the page by texting “STLOUISCOALERT” to 67283.

The Jackson County Health Department’s coronavirus page up-to-date case data for the Kansas City area as well as lists of community resources, county government orders and warnings on scams.

The Cole County Health Department COVID-19 page has daily statistics on the number of cases in the Jefferson City area as well as the latest county orders, travel advisories and testing information.

Media outlets like the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Kansas City Star, the Jefferson City News-Tribune, and the Columbia Daily Tribune are providing free access to their coronavirus coverage so readers can stay informed.

Help with food, meals and senior services
Adults 65 and older and people with a serious underlying medical condition are at a higher risk for more severe complications from COVID-19, according to the CDC. Many grocery stores have responded to this with special shopping hours for older customers and high-risk groups. They include:

Hy-Vee: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., seven days a week, for customers 60 and older, expectant mothers and high-risk individuals.

Target: The first hour of shopping every Tuesday and Wednesday are reserved for seniors and high-risk individuals. Contact your local store for opening time information.

Woods Supermarket is providing free delivery of groceries Monday through Friday for customers 60 and older. To request a deliver, call 417-204-4790 between 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 pm. Monday through Friday.

The Salvation Army Midland Division is providing pre-packaged food at its various food pantry locations, which are allowing drive-thru and pick-up customers. Find the closest Salvation Army by typing in your ZIP code online at www.centralusa.salvationarmy.org/midland or by calling 314-646-3000.

The St. Louis Area Foodbank is offering mobile food deliveries for seniors that will contain two months’ worth of food. To register for the food deliveries call 314-292-6262.

The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri partners work with local food providers across 32 counties to provide mobile food deliveries. To find the closest partner organization visit www.sharefoodbringhope.org/get-help.

Housing and employment resources
Missouri’s COVID-19 business page has resources for business owners and employees affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The page links to paycheck protection and loan programs as well as information on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act for small businesses.

Ameren and Evergy announced they will suspend utility disconnections and waive late fees for customers affected by COVID-19.

Avoiding COVID-19 scams
Scammers and price-gougers have unfortunately taken advantage of the outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration recently warned consumers of fake, unauthorized COVID-19 test kits and the Department of Agriculture warned of scams against food benefit recipients. The FBI also recently warned against emails seeming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or asking for charitable donations and offering financial relief.

The office of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is tracking allegations of price-gouging and scams. Report scams to the office by calling 800-392-8222 or visiting www.ago.mo.gov.

AARP Fraud Watch Network Call Center is staffed by volunteer fraud fighters. Report scams at 1-877-908-3360 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET.

Support for well-bring and coping with isolation
Stress, fear and anxiety are normal feelings during outbreaks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If those feelings aren’t addressed, they can lead to poor physical and mental health, difficulty sleeping and other problems. The CDC recommends incorporating meditation, exercising regularly and eating healthy, well-balanced meals to combat stress and anxiety.

The Missouri Department of Mental Health has collected a list of useful apps, articles and stress-relieving exercises to help residents deal with any stress or anxiety caused by the coronavirus outbreak. To talk to someone about mental health concerns, call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746.

AARP resources
AARP Missouri has compiled some helpful information for family caregivers, including:

How to keep a loved one’s spirits up while social distancing.

Clear-cut steps to protect a loved one whom you may be caring for.