Johnsburg shapes future for town’s seniors

Town committee launches first-of-its-kind workshop to tackle isolation, transportation and volunteer gaps among older residents

By David Escobar

The town of Johnsburg is taking a proactive step toward meeting the needs of its aging population.

Earlier this week, the town’s newly formed Senior Committee hosted its first-ever “Senior Day” workshop at the Tannery Pond Community Center in North Creek. The event brought together town officials, local leaders, and residents to brainstorm more effective ways to support older adults in the community.

More than a quarter of Johnsburg’s residents are 65 or older. While the town’s aging population grows, residents said they have seen a decrease in young families with kids moving to the area. Public school enrollment has also declined significantly since the 1990s.

“I don’t think our community is unique in that regard,” said Johnsburg Town Supervisor Kevin Bean. “This is not just unique to Johnsburg.”

State data shows that senior citizens are the fastest-growing demographic group across Warren County. In Johnsburg, residents like Arthur Webb have taken the lead in responding to the challenges that come with that growth.

“I don’t want to put all the burden on a local town government,” said Webb, a member of the town’s senior committee formed in the fall of 2024. “They don’t have the financial capability, and they don’t have the structure in place. It really is going to require a community coming out.”

Webb was among the organizers of the Senior Day workshop, which drew about 50 people of all ages. Participants broke into small groups to discuss a range of issues facing older residents—from gaps in broadband access and transportation to a lack of reliable medical care and accessible infrastructure. They also offered ideas for new senior programs and ways to attract volunteers.

“Those anecdotal experiences lead to something,” said Webb. “There’s an element of truth in each one of these kinds of stories.”

Organizers said the event helped bring in residents who had not previously engaged with town government. Supervisor Bean noted that many older adults in Johnsburg live below the poverty line, but are reluctant to apply for public assistance.

“That is part of what we’re struggling with now,” said Bean. “You have a significant number of people who have since retired from their jobs [and] are living at home. They don’t want help. They’re too proud to ask for help, and even when it’s offered, they don’t accept it.”

Throughout the workshop, participants discussed how local organizations and the town government can better engage seniors. While some older adults are comfortable, attendees said many Johnsburg seniors rely on mail, community bulletin boards and other traditional communication methods.

Johnsburg covers a large area—more than 200 square miles—adding to the problem of isolation, especially for seniors living in remote areas.

Heather Olesheski, a teacher at Johnsburg Central School, said the pandemic exacerbated the isolation many seniors face.

“We need to bring them back into the community,” said Olesheski. “We need to get them involved. Because at this point, I don’t think they’re reaching out as much as they used to.”

To help bridge the gap, Olesheski plans to launch a program in September called “Seniors Helping Seniors,” which will pair high school students with older adults to teach them how to use smartphones and computers.

“I think there’s untapped potential with our youth to volunteer with our seniors,” said Olesheski. “They just need to know how to do it and where to do it, but I think we’ll see that if we can get information out to them.”

Organizers believe youth volunteers could help reinvigorate the town’s declining volunteer force, one of several priorities the Senior Committee plans to address moving forward.

“I’m hoping that with this, we can come up with very concrete, practical things that demonstrate to the people here in our community that we can actually take on some of these difficult issues.”

Members of Johnsburg’s Senior Committee plan to continue gathering community input in the coming months and present their recommendations to the town board.

David Escobar is a Report For America Corps Member. He reports on diversity issues in the Adirondacks through a partnership between North Country Public Radio and Adirondack Explorer.