Johnson County Kansas

The district’s New Horizons Band, a 50 Plus opportunity, is a local intergenerational group and a collaborative effort with University of Missouri at Kansas City’s (UMKC) Conservatory of Music and Dance. This group is typically composed of approximately 60 wind instrumentalists and percussionists. For the first time, band members, with an average age of 70, learned to play music together virtually.

A new season of Animal Tales Storytime will begin Jan. 5 at the Johnson County Park and Recreation District’s Ernie Miller Nature Center, 707 North Kansas-7 Highway, Olathe. Physical distancing and COVID-19 safe practices will be encouraged during the programs.

Kansas adults age 65 and older are expected to be higher on the priority list for the vaccines as they are more at risk for serious complications and hospitalizations if infected with COVID-19. The initial vaccine distribution will be geared towards healthcare providers and long-term care residents and staff, in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) recommendations.

Taking a few minutes to focus your mind each day can reduce stress, pain, depression and more. Meditation is a simple, cost-effective solution to a great number of health concerns. An introductory class, led by certified meditation leader Whit Welch, is being offered through Johnson County Park and Recreation District's 50 Plus program at the Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood Drive.

Since 1971, the 50 Plus program has served older residents of Johnson County and beyond by providing tools, resources and outlets to help them live and age well. The department of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District plans to celebrate 50 years of operation in 2021. With the uncertainty of the pandemic, the golden anniversary will mostly take the form of small in-person and virtual events from January through April.

Welcome to the home of printed listings for the 50 Plus Department of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District. Our program listings are also always available at JCPRD.com/50Plus. In 2021, 50 Plus is marking its 50th anniversary and invites you to celebrate with us by participating in programs marked with (50!).

Hoarding disorder affects about 19 million people in the nation. A person with hoarding disorder experiences behavioral distress which interferes with their emotional, physical, social, financial or legal well-being.

One of the most important keys to maintaining good health in the senior years is controlling blood pressure. “High blood pressure is the most common disease in the United States. About a third of adults have it,” said internal medicine physician Keith Jantz, MD, Overland Park. “It is a major contributor to serious diseases including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and aneurysms.”

For those looking for a little extra help with either basic genealogy or DNA and genetic genealogy, free one-on-one online sessions are offered that can be booked in advance. To sign up for an appointment, go to jcgsks.org for a link to the Signup Genius page to view the available appointment times and make a reservation. A volunteer will email a personal Zoom meeting link to you prior to the scheduled date.

Johnson County residents are invited to the family fun at the Johnson County Fair in Gardner from July 27 through Aug. 1. The 2021 theme is “Hero’s Unite.”