KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. She also focuses on issues regarding scams. Share your story idea with Megan.
—
Janet Baker has a vision for south Kansas City's older adults — a place to hear live music, share a meal, play games and simply enjoy each other's company.
Baker, executive director of KC Shepherd's Center, said the need is urgent and personal.
"I just want to raise the issue that older adults in Kansas City matter," Baker said.
Baker brought the conversation to KSHB 41's Let's Talk event in Waldo, where she outlined what she described as a gap in resources for older adults in the area.
"This is important to me because older adults are left out of media stories so often, and we represent the fastest-growing population," Baker said. "We are the homeowners, the voters, we are the volunteers in the community."
KC Shepherd's Center says it is the only nonprofit exclusively serving older adults in Jackson County, a role it has held for 50 years.
Baker envisions a space that goes well beyond the traditional senior center model.
"One of the issues for older adults, particularly in south Kansas City, we don't have a place for people to be," she said. "We don't have a really incredible senior center, and I hate to call it that because I'm not talking about a bingo hall or come and get your social services, I'm talking about a place to go and have fun."
She described the kind of programming she hopes such a space could offer.
"To listen to the first violin chair of the Kansas City Symphony, who is one of our 70 over 70 honorees. Let her do a concert, let Benny Lee play his clarinet, let Millie Edwards sing, go to a movie, play dominoes, play cards, have lunch. We need something like that in Kansas City," Baker said.
Baker wants to see Jackson County and Kansas City help make that vision a reality.
"If not us, who?" Baker said.
The idea resonates with older adults who already gather at the Cleaver Family YMCA in south Kansas City, where exercise classes draw large crowds.
Tami Carolan, executive director of the Cleaver Family YMCA, said supporting older adults is central to the organization's mission.
"One of our missions is to get seniors out of their homes and staying active," Carolan said.
Carolan said a dedicated senior center could complement what the Y already provides.
"I think anytime we can give our seniors more things to do that are low-barrier access, the better off they are going to be," Carolan said. "We are a small but very mighty center with a huge membership. It would be wonderful if after an exercise class they can all gather together and go to a senior center and have coffee, quilt or play games."
Several older adults who use the Y said they support the idea.
"I think it would be good," Valerie Pride-Williams said.
"I love the idea. I'm very, very glad to see they are trying to create a space like that," Terri Hickam said.
"That would be a good idea because all the seniors don't come to Y," Claudette Scott said.
Scott and others said connection and community are at the heart of why a dedicated space matters.
"It's important that seniors get out, be around other seniors and share experiences," Scott said. "... I live alone, so I eat alone a lot. So have a time to eat together periodically."
Hickam said loneliness among older adults is a problem that a space like this could help address.
"I know so many older people who feel alone and are lonely and feel like they don't have any connection with anybody," Hickam said. "So a place like that is so important that someone feels like they are seen, that their life matters still."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
—
