Johnson County Kansas

With the rising costs of living many families find themselves struggling to keep the lights on, the water flowing and the warmth of home within reach.

In 2017, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness an “epidemic” among Americans of all ages. This warning was partly inspired by medical research that revealed damage that social isolation and loneliness can inflict on a body.

Remember the long-running catch line in the 1980s, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up”?

Johnnie Weasmer, a 73-year-old Merriam retiree, knows that situation. A resident of the Sunflower Apartments, she recently fell on the lawn outside her building.

June 15 marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, an annual opportunity to raise awareness and understanding about elder abuse.

The Johnson County Commission on Aging will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, in the Johnson County Sunset
Drive Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe. There will be no meeting in June. For more information,
call 913-715-8860 or 800-766-3777 TDD or visit jocogov.org/coa.

Older Americans Month, established in 1963, is celebrated every May. Led by a federal agency, the Administration for Community Living, OAM is a time to recognize older Americans’ contributions, highlight aging trends and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our communities.