For many of us in the United States, military service touches our lives, whether through family, friends, or our communities. Our veterans have sacrificed so much and genuinely deserve our heartfelt gratitude, compassion, and care. Sadly, many of these brave individuals feel isolated and face daily challenges with tasks most of us take for granted, like preparing meals, keeping up with household chores, or managing their own wellbeing.
As veterans grow older, it becomes more important to provide the support they need to remain independent at home. After years spent in service to our country, these individuals deserve dignity, comfort, and attentive care. By investing in the health of our senior veterans, we help them enjoy a higher quality of life and honor their commitment to us all.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognizes these needs and provides veterans home care funding in Saint Charles, MO, to assist servicepeople and their loved ones. What many families don't realize is that long-term care options - including in-home care - are included in programs like ameriCARE's Veteran CARE services.
Today, many of our veterans are vulnerable to a variety of issues that can impact their quality of life. However, through our Veteran CARE services, we're able to provide customized, compassionate care that addresses those issues and provides families like yours with peace of mind. Whether they're returning from combat with new health challenges or simply need an extra hand throughout the day as they age, our team is here to help.
Our agency owners are dedicated to guiding veterans through the process of accessing their benefits and understanding their eligibility. This important service, available at many of our franchise locations, empowers veterans to overcome the often confusing world of entitlements. With empathy and expertise, we strive to honor veterans by delivering personalized care and knowledgeable guidance, supporting them in living fuller, more independent lives.
The VA offers valuable benefits that include coverage for home health aide and homemaker services to veterans who require help with daily living activities. Through collaboration with one of our care partners, we learned that, out of more than 8 million veterans in the VA healthcare system aged 65 and older, only about 150,000 are utilizing this support. This means fewer than 2 percent of eligible veterans are getting the care they've rightfully earned. In some cases, such as with "Aid and Attendance," surviving spouses of veterans may also be eligible for benefits.
ameriCARE is committed to linking veterans and seniors nationwide with compassionate, highly trained caregivers from their own communities. We're proud to say that our mission goes beyond care - in fact, we're happy to help guide veterans and their families through the complexities of the VA system, offering hands-on support during the entire approval process. Many of our franchise owners team members are veterans themselves, who are dedicated to ensuring you or your loved one receives reliable, personalized care at home.
Regardless of how long they served, many military veterans leave service with a litany of health issues - both mental and physical. Some of the most common problems that older veterans face after leaving the military include
Research from the National Center for PTSD reveals that as many as 23% of veterans will experience post-traumatic stress disorder during their lifetime. For some, symptoms may not surface until later years, often following retirement. Notably, the development or worsening of PTSD in older adults has been linked to an increased risk of dementia, suggesting a complex relationship between trauma and cognitive decline as veterans age.
A recent study featured in the National Library of Medicine examined the prevalence of malnutrition among older veterans receiving home-based primary care. The researchers discovered that 15% of these individuals were classified as malnourished, highlighting a significant health concern within this population. Malnutrition in elderly veterans can lead to a range of complications, such as weakened immune response, slower recovery from illness, and increased risk of hospitalization. These issues underscore the need for veterans home care funding in Saint Charles, MO that helps seniors with eating and nutrition challenges.
Studies show that older veterans face a 25% higher likelihood of reporting multiple chronic health issues compared to their nonveteran peers. This trend underscores the unique health challenges veterans may encounter as they age, which often stem from service-related injuries, stress, and more.
Veterans often carry the weight of their service, having endured challenging circumstances and shouldered responsibility for the security of others. As they grow older, preserving their sense of independence becomes deeply intertwined with their mental and emotional health. For many, shifting from self-reliance to accepting help with everyday activities can be a significant adjustment.
A skilled caregiver who understands veterans' unique backgrounds can make this transition smoother. Building trust through respect for personal boundaries, clear communication, and trauma-informed care is essential to fostering a strong partnership between veterans and their in-home caregivers.
Many ameriCARE locations provide their caregivers with specialized training to better support our veterans as veteran cases can be complex and deserve tailored care.
Our caregivers offer support with meal preparation, grocery shopping, and managing dietary needs. They also encourage healthy habits and lifestyle choices, ensuring you or your loved one receives personalized nutrition and wellness guidance.
Tasks like bathing, using the restroom, getting dressed, and maintaining oral hygiene can become challenging because of aging or ongoing health conditions. Our dedicated caregivers are specially trained to assist with these personal routines and always prioritize the veteran's comfort, privacy, and self-esteem.
A tidy living space does more than promote good hygiene. It fosters a sense of comfort, security, and overall wellbeing. Our caregivers help with everyday household tasks, making sure your home remains a safe, inviting, and organized environment.
When driving becomes a challenge, whether for you or a veteran family member, our caregivers step in to help. They can handle errands such as grocery shopping, picking up prescriptions, ensuring appointments are kept, and providing reliable support for many other daily needs.
In-home caregivers from ameriCARE are dedicated to supporting your loved one's mobility and safety. From accompanying them on short walks to guiding them through physical therapy routines, we help promote regular movement and keep them engaged in activities that support their health and independence.
Our caregivers foster engagement by offering gentle support and uplifting encouragement. We create opportunities for veterans to participate in enriching activities, make social connections, and develop genuine bonds with their in-home caregivers.
We can accompany you or the older veteran in your life to medical appointments. We can also help relay any information or instructions provided by doctors.
Coping with the effects of aging, disability, or recovery from injury often involves juggling multiple medications with specific timing and dosages. Our caregivers can help ensure that you or your veteran loved one receives the correct medications at the right times, providing peace of mind while supporting overall health.
Our comprehensive care extends to beloved pets as well. We can assist with daily dog walks, feeding routines, arranging transportation for vet visits, and maintaining pet hygiene. By helping with day-to-day chores like pet care, we help enhance the wellbeing of senior veterans and their animal companions.
While many veterans have a primary care physician or a home health care professional, they may still need a real human connection beyond medical care. Veteran-funded home care can help you or your loved one maintain a more balanced life, one visit at a time. That's where ameriCARE comes in. We work tirelessly to connect dedicated, welltrained, and dependable caregivers to veterans across the United States.
If you're looking for a locally-owned home care company that provides veterans with personalized support, Request More Info today. It would be our honor to help you and your family navigate the VA and to act as your liaison throughout the benefit approval process.
Ready to get started on your journey with ameriCARE? Request More Info today to schedule your consultation and learn more information about how we can assist you or your senior loved one.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Fire trucks, stations, and the crews behind them are funded largely by property taxes.“We serve around 90,000 residents, 4 stations, 75 personnel,” explained O’Fallon Fire Chief Thomas Vineyard.In April, St. Charles County voters will decide Proposition R-T, which would extend the county’s senior property tax freeze program to all homeowners. Fire and other public safety leaders say they understand the appeal of lower taxes, but warn that the change could reduce ...
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Fire trucks, stations, and the crews behind them are funded largely by property taxes.
“We serve around 90,000 residents, 4 stations, 75 personnel,” explained O’Fallon Fire Chief Thomas Vineyard.
In April, St. Charles County voters will decide Proposition R-T, which would extend the county’s senior property tax freeze program to all homeowners. Fire and other public safety leaders say they understand the appeal of lower taxes, but warn that the change could reduce revenue that supports essential services.
“It would have a huge impact on us because, like everything else, prices go up,” Vineyard said. “If everything goes up and you can’t stabilize your income to rise with those prices, at some point there’s going to be a pain point where some tough decisions will have to be made.”
Fire departments and fire districts said the concern is simple: the workload won’t necessarily decrease, even if the funding does.
St. Charles County Collector of Revenue Michelle McBride said her office is focused on educating voters about potential impacts, not telling people how to vote.
“Everybody wants to hear their taxes are going away… The reality is, those taxes fund public services, and when those taxes aren’t paid, that revenue is gone,” McBride said.
McBride said about 30,000 people are currently enrolled in the senior tax freeze, creating about a $5 million loss of revenue. If Proposition R-T passes, she said more than 100,000 people could enroll, and the county could lose about $20 million in revenue in at least the first year.
“A 20 million dollar reduction in revenue is going to have an impact,” McBride said. “What that impact would be? You’d have to talk to the fire district, the ambulance district, the school district.”
Francis Howell School District told First Alert 4 that more than 75% of its operating revenue comes from local property taxes. If voters approve the proposition, the district said it could see a $4 million loss of revenue in the initial year, potentially affecting services such as extracurricular activities and transportation.
“It would be nice, but I wouldn’t want to hurt the schools or anything like that,” St. Charles County resident Tony Williams said.
Proposition R-T will be on the ballot on April 7.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. – The Jay and Caroline Henges Wetland Park and Education Center is opening in St. Charles County as the newest and largest park in the county. The 785-acre site is a hybrid wildlife area designed to protect critical habitat for birds traveling along the national flyway.Managed through a partnership between St. Charles County and the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, the park focuses on coordinating agricultural land and managed wetlands to attract migratory species. The project aims to protect the 100-year f...
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. – The Jay and Caroline Henges Wetland Park and Education Center is opening in St. Charles County as the newest and largest park in the county. The 785-acre site is a hybrid wildlife area designed to protect critical habitat for birds traveling along the national flyway.
Managed through a partnership between St. Charles County and the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, the park focuses on coordinating agricultural land and managed wetlands to attract migratory species. The project aims to protect the 100-year flood plain from urban development while providing a refuge for millions of birds that pass through the region.
The 785-acre property, located off Highway B near Huster, was previously a private duck club. It is now being transitioned into a public refuge for migratory birds. The site is situated near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, a location that millions of birds pass through every year when flying north for the spring season.
The land is currently protected by a conservation easement with Ducks Unlimited, which serves as a legal barrier against future development. Mike Checkett, executive director of the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, described the location as a critical boundary for local land use.
“This is kind of the Eastern front of development and where the 100-year flood plain starts and needs to be protected,” Checkett said. He noted that maintaining the site as a natural area ensures the flood plain remains intact forever.
The park is designed to serve multiple purposes, including conservation, education and recreation. Checkett explained that while the primary goal is environmental, the park will also provide access to specific groups and the general public during various times of the year.
“The main focus is protecting the birds and maintaining the refuges, providing opportunities to first time hunters, youth, women and first responders but also there will be an opportunity for people to come out in the off season to come out take a stroll in nature,” Checkett said.
To support its educational mission, the county plans to construct a 5,000-square-foot education center on the property. The park will also coordinate with the Missouri Department of Conservation to manage a waterfowl hunt program. Officials stated that a portion of the site will remain an inviolate refuge, meaning no hunting or public access will be permitted in those specific areas during migration and hunting seasons.
Development of the 5,000-square-foot education center is expected to follow the initial opening of the park grounds. St. Charles County and the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance will continue to manage the wetlands and agricultural use of the site to maintain its status as a refuge for migratory birds.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY— Millions of migratory birds love the wet farmlands between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers at the Jay and Carolyn Henges Wetland Park and Education Center, St. Charles County’s newest and largest park.What You Need To Know Currently, bald eagles, ducks and other waterfowl are partaking in this habitat’s natural offerings as they migrate north.“There's probably 900 different kind of species that benefit particularly from wetlands wetland restoration, it'...
ST. CHARLES COUNTY— Millions of migratory birds love the wet farmlands between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers at the Jay and Carolyn Henges Wetland Park and Education Center, St. Charles County’s newest and largest park.
Currently, bald eagles, ducks and other waterfowl are partaking in this habitat’s natural offerings as they migrate north.
“There's probably 900 different kind of species that benefit particularly from wetlands wetland restoration, it's critical in every sense,” said J. Michael “Mike” Checkett, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance (GRHA)’s Executive Director.
Twice a year, migratory birds visit the wetlands near the “confluence,” the area where the two major rivers meet, as they go south for the winter and return north in the Spring.
Through partnership, St. Charles County, the State of Missouri and GRHA will develop this critical flyway haven for public use while preserving the wildlife’s habitats.
“St. Charles County is excited to operate the park and work with these individuals to create a really, truly unique experience that serves the citizens of St. Charles County as well as the important Mississippi Flyway here as a refuge for waterfowl,” said Ryan Graham, St. Charles County Parks Director. “We’ve already had a first year of great excitement with the department, hosting hunts out here for youth, for first time hunters, veterans, first responders, women and we had several hundred folks out here enjoy mornings and afternoon sunrise, sunset."
He added that bird-enthusiasts are enjoying the thousands of migratory birds over the last six months. The public-private partnership was approved by county council last year.
“Partnerships are really what’s key here,” said Aaron Jeffries, Missouri Department of Conservation’s deputy director. “The department couldn’t have done this on our own, (GRHA) couldn’t have done this on their own, nor could have St. Charles (County). Our staff are definitely looking forward to offering those opportunities this coming year.”
Jeffries added the department put on 11 managed waterfowl hunts and exceeded its goal on the number of related programs.
Features going into the 785-acre property include hiking, biking, a 5,000 square-foot education center, mentored duck hunting and conservation. Part of the site is “inviolate refuge,” meaning no hunting or access allowed during migration and hunting seasons. Graham said the design process for developments usually takes a year and construction follows over the following year or more.
Crosstown rivals unite in green for historic tribute to St. Charles’ Black educational legacy.ST CHARLES, Mo. — The rivalry between St. Charles High School and St. Charles West is usually defined by the clash of navy and maroon. But Friday night, when the Pirates and the Warriors take the court at 8:00 p.m., the scoreboard will be the only thing keeping them apart. In a first-of-its-kind tribute to Black History Month, both teams will trade their traditional colors for green and white—the original colors of the long-...
Crosstown rivals unite in green for historic tribute to St. Charles’ Black educational legacy.
ST CHARLES, Mo. — The rivalry between St. Charles High School and St. Charles West is usually defined by the clash of navy and maroon. But Friday night, when the Pirates and the Warriors take the court at 8:00 p.m., the scoreboard will be the only thing keeping them apart. In a first-of-its-kind tribute to Black History Month, both teams will trade their traditional colors for green and white—the original colors of the long-closed Franklin School.
The building at 716 3rd St. currently sits vacant, a former warehouse whose bricks hold the memories of a generation of students who were legally barred from the very gyms where athletes compete today.
For alumni like 100-year-old Thomas Stephenson and his 97-year-old wife Mary, the green uniforms are a symbol of a legacy that is, as Thomas says, "long overdue."
Before the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954, Franklin was the only option for Black students in the district. For many, just getting to class was an ordeal.
"We lived on the south end of town and we walked all the way down to Franklin," Thomas recalls. "On the way down, we had a lot of white friends who walked with us. They stopped at one school... I’d keep walking down to Franklin," he said.
Mary’s journey was even longer. She was bussed 12 miles from O’Fallon because local schools there would not admit her. Other students traveled up to 50 miles from neighboring counties like Warren and Lincoln to receive the high school education that only Franklin provided.
Despite the lack of resources—using older textbooks and having no football field for years—the school was still a hub of academic and athletic excellence.
"The teachers were excellent teachers that taught you how to live and how to grow up and everything," Mary says.
Thomas, the only living member of the Franklin Bulldogs basketball team, remembers a squad that wasn't allowed to play white athletes locally but went on to place third at a national tournament in North Carolina. Friday, he will return to the hardwood for the honorary tip-off, a gesture that bridges a century of history.
The initiative to wear Franklin’s green jerseys every February was driven by a district looking to acknowledge its full history. For St. Charles High School Principal Dr. Patricia Closson, the event is a deeply personal full-circle moment. Her grandfather played for the Bulldogs, and her grandmother taught at the school.
"When I think of the fact that I'm a direct descendant of two individuals who could've never attended St. Charles High or, in my grandmother's case, could not have taught at St. Charles High... it's like my ancestors' wildest dreams," Closson says.
The game is expected to be a standing-room-only sellout. While the rivalry remains fierce, the ultimate goal will be unity.
"We can come together despite our diversity and recognize all parts of our district," Closson says. "We are all Franklin tomorrow night."
By the Numbers: Franklin School History
1902 | Franklin School opens to relieve overcrowding at Lincoln School.
1933 | The school celebrates its first four-year high school graduating class.
1938 | A gymnasium is finally built, launching a basketball powerhouse.
1955 | The final graduating class walks the halls before integration.
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