KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
The Johnson County Area Agency on Aging (JCAAA) is asking community members to fill out a survey to better understand the needs of seniors, an assessment mandated by the Older Americans Act.
The county wants to hear from seniors, caregivers, and professionals to help develop their Area Plan on Aging for seniors from 2026 through 2029. The survey is open through the end of April. The survey ranges in categories, including health insurance, nutrition, housing and more.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that seniors 65 and older will outnumber children under 18 in the next decade.
"Our goal is to work with all individuals to keep them as independent as possible and keep them where they want to live, which most of the time is in their home, in the community they are so used to,” Tim Wholf, JCAAA director, said.
Wholf said Johnson County's demographic continues to grow in its senior population. He said nearly 130,000 of Johnson County’s population of about 630,000 are 60 or older, and that a little over 108,000 people in Johnson County are on Medicare, too.
The JCAAA implements these programs and handles day-to-day operations. There’s also the Commission on Aging, made up of volunteers who research and educate the needs of seniors, to help connect the community with the Johnson County Board of Commissioners.
“How can we assist our seniors and their families to allow them to stay in their homes longer? It is so much more expensive to have someone move into assisted living," Cindy Green, the Chair of the Johnson County Commission on Aging, said. “If we can allow to have programs that keep them on their homes...the longer you can stay at home, it’s so much more affordable for families, especially as costs continue to rise.”
The JCAAA’S Meals on Wheels Program, funded by the county and federal Older Americans Act, is one of the many ways it’s helping meet the needs of their seniors today. It’s a home-delivered meals program for senior residents in Johnson County.
They also offer these as congregate meals at various Neighborhood Centers across Johnson County, where people can gather to eat the meals. They encourage donations of $4 per lunch and $3 per breakfast, but said no senior is denied a meal if they can’t pay that cost.
According to the Johnson County Department of Aging & Human Services, there were 233,400 home-delivered meals and 25,339 congregate meals in 2024. 11,155 people received services from the Area Agency on Aging in 2024, too.
"You realize the importance of a meal. Sometimes, this is it. This is all they're going to get,” volunteer Monica Steinle said.
From volunteers to recipients, many are familiar with Sue Peschl, a nutrition food assistant with the program. Despite what her job description says, she does whatever is needed - and said she’s been happily doing so for ten years.
“This brings people together. It's not like you're always stuck by yourself,” Peschl said. "I have these people here that keep me going, too."
So, while Peschl keeps taking care of business, she knows firsthand that it all comes back to taking care of each other.
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