While Darcy Connors was a nursing home administrator in the South, she also operated a COVID-19 recovery center. Connors and her staff noticed that two of the patients in their charge had a strong connection with one another — they were obviously a couple but were reticent to inform the staff. “One of the partners […]
Tag: AARP
Posted inCommentary
A new year and a new era of LGBTQ+ journalism
A new year brings with it the attempt to keep your New Year’s resolutions and start new projects. For me, there are no new resolutions, since years ago it became apparent that any resolutions I made usually didn’t make it through January, much less the entire calendar year. But there is that second item, new […]
Posted inCaring for Community
Older Bostonians dream big and show their Pryde
In 2021, 5.6% or 19 million American adults identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or genderqueer/nonbinary and that number has steadily increased year-to-year (Gallup). The data demonstrates increased need for LGBTQ+ inclusive housing as the population ages.
Posted inCaring for Community
With proper care, healthy aging with HIV is possible
There was a time when an AIDS diagnosis was a death sentence–no exceptions, no relief, no end in sight. In the 1980s and ’90s, a generation of men shrank into wretched illness that robbed them of their dignity and their future.
Posted inCaring for Community
AARP warns against holiday and charitable fraud
Three-quarters of American consumers say they have experienced or been targeted by fraud related to the holidays, according to a new AARP survey. Recipients noted that holiday scams took many forms for them, including online ads, requests for end-of-year charitable donations, and receiving fake notifications about shipping issues.
Posted inCaring for Community
COVID pandemic highlighted the importance of advanced care planning
Three years ago, Palm Springs resident Richard Bass went to visit a friend who was in the hospital after experiencing a fainting spell at home. The elderly gentleman lived alone and shared his concern about what would happen if he experienced a debilitating health issue and was unable to call for help.
Posted inCaring for Community
Supporting LGBTQ+ culture in senior living communities
For seven years now, I’ve had the privilege of working at Ingleside, a not-for-profit organization that provides management and leadership for three Life Plan Communities in the Washington, D.C. area. As the Accreditation and Quality Improvement Manager for Ingleside, one of my driving goals is to ensure that all of Ingleside’s life plan communities continue to be inclusive, welcoming environments that cultivate respect for all people, including those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Posted inCaring for Community
Meet LuAnn Boylan, a long-time activist creating community for LGBTQ+ seniors
There’s an entire generation of LGBTQ+ baby boomers approaching retirement age, many of whom were at the front lines of the gay rights movement of the 60s and 70s.
Posted inCaring for Community
Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ elders foster a caring community
The sages John Lennon and Paul McCartney asked and answered the great question: Does it worry you to be alone? No, because you get by with a little help from your friends. But that thought is incomplete: your friends might need a little help from you as well. That, at its core, is what caregiving and care receiving are all about. A caregiver recognizes a need and steps up to fill it. Over the course of our lives, it’s the rare person who has not been both the provider and recipient of care.
Posted inCaring for Community
Long-term care remains challenging
As more LGBTQ+ people age, decisions about their future remain complicated by a patchwork of local, state and federal laws and regulations. In particular, if an individual needs long-term care in a dedicated community, there can be uncertainty about the community’s understanding and openness to the particular needs of LGBTQ+ older adults.
Posted inCaring for Community
Growing number of care providers catering to LGBTQ+ seniors
With the Baby Boomer population aging into retirement, more LGBTQ+ seniors are looking for affirming care and resources in their golden years, nervous about having to return to the closet in the absence of such care.
Posted inCaring for Community
The value of affirming caregiving for LGBTQ+ elders
Found families are one of the most treasured touchstones of the LGBTQ+ community. It is within these circles of friends who evolve into family that we find unconditional support, meaningful companionship and genuine belonging. As we continue to age, there’s an added role that the members of our found families may take on: that of caregivers.
Posted inTop Stories
Michael Horvich: A caregiver remembers his talented husband
Michael Horvich has been many things in his lifetime, including a teacher, photographer and author. However, one of his most important roles was being a caregiver to Gregory Maire—Horvich’s husband of 41 years who died in 2015.
Posted inNews
When LGBTQ+ siblings are called to take care of aging parents
There is no greater gift one can give than to care for an aging parent. As the number of seniors worldwide continues to grow, family caregivers will become a more prevalent part of society. The personality traits possessed by LGBTQ+ siblings make us uniquely qualified to lead these efforts.
Posted inCaring for Community
Philly’s queer running groups build community with LGBTQ+ seniors
To create a more inclusive, accepting running environment for LGBTQ+ folks in Philly, Cain Leathers started the running group Queer Run in April 2022. Leathers was motivated by some patterns of discrimination he noticed while working in the athletics industry, so he took a break to run across Pennsylvania to raise money for the Trevor Project, a crisis prevention organization geared toward LGBTQ+ youth.