M2M Information Centre

We will all be elderly one day, even those young hot guys with their sexy washboard stomachs.   Our elderly citizens face many challenges and those who are members of the LGBTQ community face even more.    Our aging LGBTQ population is often being forced back into the ‘closet’ as there are very few services for LGBTQ seniors.  

While some LGBTQ retirement centres and homes have opened in recent years, there are far too few and often filled before they even open their doors.   Most of these centres and homes are located in major urban areas like Los Angeles, Boston and Vancouver.   There are some LGBTQ ‘friendly’ retirement centres and homes, but again they are few and mostly in urban centres like Toronto or Ottawa.   So, most aging LGBTQ seniors are forced to live in centres and homes that do recognize that they exist.    Many seniors who ‘came out’ after the Stonewall rebellion are finding themselves being forced back into the ‘closet’ just to survive.   I’ve heard a number of disturbing stories about LGBTQ seniors being asked by nursing home/health care staff to ‘pray with them’ for forgiveness; or persons who were so terrorized by their ‘straight’ peers that they fell into severe depression and even to suicide.    Sadly, there is very little discussion about this situation.

Many LGBTQ seniors are the folks who set the ground work for the ‘progress and increasing freedom’ our community enjoys today.   It is a disgrace that these folks who in many cases acted as ‘pioneers’ in the gay liberation movement are being forgotten and pushed back into the ‘mental (and sometimes physical) death’ of the closet.  We must all join together to help them, as well as, ourselves as we all head towards our senior years.   

We need to educate health care providers and givers across Ontario (and nationally) so at the very least they will be aware that there are LGBTQ seniors who face issues that are unique to this population.   With an awareness of LGBTQ seniors, then providers can begin looking at what policies, procedures and best-practices they have in place or need to develop within their services to better serve LGBTQ seniors. 

On Friday October 29^th, 2010 we hope to start the process of discussion and education with our ‘Senior Queer Citizen’s Conference’.   This full day conference will start with the new documentary film, “Gen Silent” which was produced and directed by Stu Maddux.   Mr. Maddux has documented the lives of a number of aging LGBTQ citizens bringing forth the disturbing realities they have had to face with the current deficiency in LGBTQ awareness and services.   This is a powerful film and one I think all LGBTQ people should watch.   Check the YouTube clip from 'Gen Silent' at the bottom of this article.

After the film, we will have an LGBTQ senior’s workshop lead by Devan Nambiar of Rainbow Health Ontario.  This workshop will deal with some of the issues an aging LGBTQ population is facing.  The session covers a bit of history, LGBT  language/terminology, impact of criminalization and oppression,  health disparities, senior trans needs, providing culturally competent care for LGBT senior (and racialized LGBT seniors) as well as a few case scenarios.   A Lunch and Learn panel consisting of a Lesbian, a Transgendered woman and an HIV+ gay man will discuss their issues and concerns as they enter their senior years.    During the afternoon Dick Moore, former leader of the Senior Pride Network at Toronto’s 519 Community Centre will discuss his long-term care manual which will be followed up by what is happening around LGBTQ senior issues provincially and then ending with open discussion.   Breakfast, the Film, Lunch with Panel, as well as workshops and presentations are included in the $45 registration.   There are a limited number of scholarships available for ‘People Living with HIV’ and members of the AIDS Committee of Durham Region can attend the conference for $30.   ACDR annual memberships are available for $10 at our offices.   The deadline for registration is September 20, 2010.

We invite everyone from across the province that has an interest in aging LGBTQ issues.   Whether you’re an LGBTQ community member, a health care provider, government official, student or a senior yourself this conference should be on your ‘must attend’ list.    

For more information and registration visit our website at:  http://seniorconference.yolasite.com/ or contact me directly by email; M2M@aidsdurham.com or phone; 905-576-1445.