ma4 is Missouri’s trusted voice on aging. Advocacy. Information. Services.
BUILDING CAPACITY
ma4 supports the effectiveness and capacity of Missouri’s AAAs by working with community partners to strengthen advocacy efforts, share information, maximize resources, and assist staff and caregivers in supporting adults to live independently, in the homes of their choice, for as long as they choose.
BUILDING CONNECTIONS
ma4 is the statewide association of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), which together provide over $140 M in services annually to adults 60+ in every county in Missouri.
Services include nutrition interventions (home delivered and congregate) meals, wellness, chronic disease management, home modification, care transitions, transportation, social connectedness, caregiving, in-home and personal care services, Medicare options counseling, legal services, ongoing learning, and many other services intended to help adults age in the place they call home.
Missouri’s AAAs have earned deep the deep trust of older adults and their caregivers through decades of reliable, compassionate service. Our ten AAAs and 200+ Senior Centers function as lifelines and community anchors, reaching every county across the state with vital supports that help seniors live independently and with dignity.
A Smart Investment for Missouri
Providing in-home services through Area Agencies on Aging isn’t just compassionate—it’s fiscally responsible. For the same cost to the state, AAAs can provide one of the following*:
$3.81 X RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Every dollar invested in Missouri’s AAAs leverages $3.81 in community value and taxpayer savings. Missouri seniors gained an EXTRA 575,584 DAYS living in community and avoiding hospital stays and institutional care. Learn More
Discover More about the impact of Missouri’s Area Agencies on Aging
$140 Million Invested by
Missouri’s 10 AAAs
150,000 Older Adults Served in
Missouri’s 115 Counties
9 Million Nutritious
Meal Interventions
| When AAAs are Under-Funded | When AAAs are Funded |
|---|---|
| $86,000 for ONE senior to stay one year in a skilled Medicaid facility* | $4,000 to provide home delivered meals to keep one senior at home |
| Costly medical bills after a senior’s fall | Wellness classes to prevent falls |
| Hospital care for a senior suffering malnourishment and anxiety | Nutritious meals and a wellness check delivered by a friendly volunteer |
| Emergency room costs for a senior who needs a touch of reassurance | Reassurance calls from a volunteer who reminds the senior they matter |
| Emergency transportation-because that’s the only option | Transportation to medical visits from an AAA volunteer |
| The medical decline of a senior who loses purpose and will | A senior center where friends meet, care for one another, and find purpose |
* Source: Genworth
** Source: Meals on Wheels America – Health Improvements & Cost Savings (2025)
