ASHLAND — There’s something special about sitting with someone who has truly lived.
The neighbor who remembers when Main Street looked different. The grandmother who raised six kids on a budget, who makes your head spin with stories of how hard she worked to make ends meet.
The veteran who doesn’t talk much about what he saw during his years of service but shows up every single week to volunteer anyway. The farmer who’s not quite ready to give up working in the fields every spring and fall (and all the months in between). Ashland County is full of wonderful people like that.
For a community like ours — where older adults make up a meaningful and growing share of our population, it is especially important to highlight and celebrate June as Elder Empowerment Month.
At its heart, it means recognizing that older adults are not defined by their needs — they are defined by their wisdom, their resilience, the lives they have influenced, and the lives they have built.
Empowerment means removing barriers, fostering connection, and making sure every person feels seen and valued, regardless of age.
One of the greatest barriers older adults face is isolation — and it is more common than most people realize. Research consistently shows that loneliness among older adults is linked to feelings of depression, anxiety, and even poorer physical health outcomes. When people feel invisible, it can affect everything.
The good news is that connection is something every one of us can offer, and even small moments of genuine engagement can make a real difference in someone’s life.
Elder empowerment doesn’t require a big gesture. For younger people, it might look like a phone call to a neighbor who lives alone. It might mean asking a family member to share a story, go through old pictures, or teach you a “secret recipe.”
Or sometimes, it’s as simple as slowing down long enough to have a real conversation with someone, to truly stop and listen. If you’re an older adult looking for ways to get more active and social this month, click the link below for a calendar of fun events to help celebrate.
Here is a link to the June Events Calendar.
For a list of additional events, contact the Council on Aging at 419-281-1477.
The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County is committed to supporting the well-being of older adults in our community — not just by funding services, but by helping to build a community where every person, at every age, feels like they matter. Because they do.
-If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call Appleseed Community Mental Health Center’s 24/7 crisis hotline at 419-289-6111. For questions related to mental health and/or substance use problems, call the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County at 419-281-3139. For questions about community resources, call 211.
The Board proudly funds a network of mental health and substance use services provided by Appleseed Community Mental Health Center, Catholic Charities of Ashland County, and the Ashland County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.