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 17 Incoming freshmen from Boston University join the lunch group at Ethos' Cafe Emmanuel for an intergenerational exchange. |
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"Do Tell"
The LGBT Aging Project's Monthly Newsletter |
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Dear ,
We hope your summer was restful and pleasant. As Fall approaches we are already seeing quite a bit of activity around issues of LGBT Aging. In this month's Do Tell you will find important information on:
- Fall LGBT Bereavement Group New Location
- Open Door Task Force Study Published
- North Shore's LGBT Supper Program
- Worcester LGBT Aging Conference
- Gen Silent Screening
- News, Community Announcements and information on all four LGBT Senior Meal Programs and our ongoing support groups.
Best,
Bob Linscott
Assistant Director, LGBT Aging Project
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| Message From The Director |
Dear Friends,
Did you know you are part of an important and growing movement? LGBT Aging is gaining tremendous attention and momentum. If you are one of the nearly 1500 people who read Do Tell then you care about LGBT older adults and caregivers. You may be an LGBT older adult or caregiver yourself, or maybe a future LGBT older adult (we're not getting any younger!) or perhaps you are an ally working in mainstream aging services or health care. We are all working together to increase the visibility of LGBT older adults as well as access to programs and services that will enhance their lives as they grow older. And we're building community.You can help continue to build this movement. Forward this newsletter to someone else, someone who doesn't know much about LGBT Aging - yet. Invite them to join you, and us as we change the future.
Be well,
Lisa Krinsky, LICSW
Director, LGBT Aging Project |
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| Our Sponsor: | |
This newsletter is supported in part by a donation from our corporate sponsor, State Street Corporation. For more information about State Street visit them online. Click here |
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| Fall LGBT Bereavement Group Forming: New Location & Date |
 The first LGBT Bereavement Group this year will be held in the Burlington area. This free six week group offers a safe and welcoming environment for people to process their loss and move forward with their lives. The group is open to people of all ages. If you know someone who has lost a partner/spouse, family member or friend, please share this information.
Dates: Wednesday October 6th to Wednesday November 3rd Time: Wednesday evenings 6:30 to 8:00pm
Location: Burlington, MA To register: contact Beth Damsky, LICSW, (617) 497-6581
To learn about future groups in your area call Bob Linscott at (617) 522-1292
Funded by the Mass Dept of Public Health and facilitated by Ethos and The LGBT Aging Project
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| The Open Door Project Task Force: A Qualitative Study on LGBT Aging |
The Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services has just published an article by Stewart Landers, Matthew Mimiaga and Lisa Krinsky about the LGBT Aging Project's LGBT Cultural Competency Training, the Open Door Task Force. ( Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, Volume 22, Issue 3, July 2010, pp 316-336.) We are so pleased to share these results with others who are interested in LGBT cultural competency training. These finding show that individual and organizational efforts do produce change.
Abstract
This paper reports formative qualitative findings from the Open Door Project (ODP), a unique program created by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Aging Project. Data were collected from Open Door Task Force members (N = 34). This includes 4 focus groups that were held with a total of 22 participants; and key informant interviews that were conducted with 12 participants from 10 different agencies. Findings revealed that agencies took significant steps to make important and long-lasting structural changes, including changing their diversity and personnel policies, and intake forms to be LGBT inclusive; implementing ongoing staff training initiatives on LGBT issues; and actively involving leadership, including senior managers, executive directors, vendors, and Councils on Aging, in helping to create and sustain organizational change. The ODP is an effective model to increase cultural competence in working with aging LGBT communities.
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| Over the Rainbow Supper Club Launches at House of Seven Gables |
 On Thursday September 21st North Shore Elder Services launched the "Over The Rainbow Supper Club" for LGBT Seniors on the North Shore. The dinner was held in Salem at the historic House of Seven Gables and was attended by over 50 local LGBT seniors. Curator, Alan Collachicco told the dinner group that the House of Seven Gables just celebrated their first 100 years of preservation and social service and the staff was very pleased to have the "Over The Rainbow Supper Club" as the first event for the next 100 years! This meal program for LGBT Seniors represents the latest effort by a main stream elder service agency to reach out the the older gay, lesbian, bi and trans community in their area. Massachusetts currently has five meal sites that are designated for LGBT Seniors and their friends. The other agencies that have launched similar programs are Ethos, which runs two LGBT meal sites, Somerville Cambridge Elder Services and South Shore Elder Services.
Information about each of the 5 mealsites can be found in this newsletter under the "LGBT Community Meals" section. |
| Opening Doors: LGBT Aging Conference in Central Mass |
Congratulations to the Worcester LGBT Elder Network (WLEN) for a very successful half day conference on LGBT aging. Nearly 70 elder care professionals attended this gathering which featured a keynote address by Dr. Jennifer Tjia, Geriatrician at UMass Medical and offered workshops on "Gay and Adult Day" "HIV/AIDS Prevention in Older LGBT population in Massachusetts," "Making A Mainstream Aging Service Provider LGBT Friendly" and "Aging Transgender Patients and Barriers to Care." The Aging Project's Director, Lisa Krinsky provided the program's closing comments that applauded the creation and accomplishments of WLEN as a result of Elder Services of Worcester, The Worcester Senior Center and Central Mass Agency on Aging's participation in the Aging Project's LGBT cultural competency program, the Open Door Task Force. Her call to action for all those attending the conference was for individuals and organizations to work to keep their doors open and to welcome more LGBT older adults and caregivers through them. |
| Gen Silent Screening in Worcester Thursday Sept 30th |  A special screening of Gen Silent with a panel discussion on LGBT Aging and Caregiving has been arranged for social workers and elder service professionals. This event is also open to the community. The screening will be held at Holy Cross in Worcester on September 30th. The program begins at 12 noon. Cost: $30 includes two CEUs and a luncheon. |
| LGBT Aging Project Behind-the-Scenes: A Volunteer Spotlight |
 The LGBT Aging Project has been so fortunate to have the services and support of an incredible volunteer, Shayn Smulyan. Despite being in a vigorous doctoral program at Brown University in the ethnomusicology program, Shayn managed to share some of his valuable time each week this past year to help us out in the office. The sheer magnitude of our work, which covers the entire state of Massachusetts, would not be possible without the support we receive from our volunteers like Shayn. This year, with the Gen Silent Premiere and all the Pride events, Shayn's support was invaluable. Thank you Shayn for all the spread sheets, copying, phone calls and mailings. We couldn't have done it without you! |
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In The News |
Service group reaching out to older gay community
by Wendy Kileen, Boston Globe
...So it was fitting that on a recent beautiful summer evening, Beauport, now a museum, was the location for a social gathering and fund-raiser for the Old & Bold Coalition, an initiative of North Shore Elder Services that is reaching out to older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
New Leaf Closes Its Doors
By Heather Cassell, Bay Area Reporter
An LGBT nonprofit that provides mental health, substance abuse, and senior services announced this week that it has run out of money and will close its doors by the middle of October.
The board of directors of New Leaf: Services for Our Community voted unanimously August 15 at an emergency meeting to begin the process to dissolve the agency, which turned 35 this year
Obama administration official addresses LGBT elders in Chicago
by Joseph Erbentraut, Edge Boston
Attendees of the weekly SAGE lunch hour at the Center on Halsted lined up for their meals a bit earlier than usual on Tuesday, Aug. 31, as a special guest-Dr. Howard Koh of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-was invited to speak about how the health care reform bill signed into law earlier this year effects LGBT seniors
Temple prof looks at LGBT elder issues
by Jen Colletta, Philadelphia Gay News
Out Temple University law professor Nancy Knauer recently won two national prizes for her article that examined the complex issues facing LGBT elders, and she's now preparing for the release of a book that further explores this topic.
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| LGBT Community Meal Programs |
 We are pleased to have a whole section dedicated to the different LGBT Community Meal Programs that are starting to emerge across the state. We now have a nice variety of offerings from weekly luncheons, monthly brunches, a monthly women's program and two monthly supper programs. There is also a nice diversity in the location for each of the five programs.
Boston/Back Bay:
Cafe Emmanuel: "The Original LGBT Meal Site!"
When: Every Thursday 11am to 1:00pm
Where: Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street Boston, MA
RSVP: to blinscott@lgbtagingproject.org or call Bob at (617) 477-6610
Sponsored by: Ethos & The LGBT Aging Project
Roslindale:
Out to Brunch: Monthly Brunch & Social for Older LBT Women & Their Friends
When: First Saturday of every month 11am to 1:00pm
Where:Roslindale House, 120 Poplar Street Roslindale, MA
RSVP: to outtobrunch@gmail.com or call (617) 522-6700 x306.
Sponsored by: Ethos &The LGBT Aging Project
South Shore:
Monthly Brunch for LGBT Seniors & Friends
When: Last Saturday of Every Month, 10am to 12pm
Where: All Souls Unitarian Church, 196 Elm Street, Braintree, MA
RSVP: Maryanne Ryan 781-848-3939 x 325 or email lgbtseniors@sselder.org for more information.
Sponsored by: South Shore Elder Services
Somerville/Cambridge:
Cadbury Cafe: Somerville & Cambridge's First LGBT Monthly Dining Program
When: 4th Wednesday of Every Month, 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Where: Cadbury Commons, 66 Sherman Street, Cambridge, Ma.
RSVP: by calling SCES (617) 628-2601 ext. 605 or email lgbtcafe@eldercare.orgSponsored by: Somerville Cambridge Elder Services, Cambridge Council on Aging and Cadbury Commons.
North Shore:
Over The Rainbow Supper Club
When: 2nd Tuesday of every month, 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Where: House of Seven Gables, 115 Derby Street, Salem MA
RSVP: (978) 624-2261
Sponsored by: The Old and Bold Coalition, North Shore Elder Services' outreach to the LGBT Community on the North Shore. |
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Community Announcements | |
Positive Aging Lasting Strength (PALS)
Funded by a Tufts Health Plan Foundation/Healthy Aging Initiative grant, AIDS Action's peer support team has launched a new group for people aged 60 and older: Positive Aging, Lasting Strength (PALS). Targeting seniors infected with, affected by and at risk for HIV/AIDS, PALS will hold weekly exercise classes, wellness groups, nutritional consults, support groups, and monthly health forums, as well as one-on-one peer support, all at no cost.
For more information, contact Emerson Miller at emiller@aac.org or 617.450.1221 or Ed Crane at ecrane@aac.org or 617-450-1562.
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On Going Support Groups | |
LGBT Caregiver Support Group:
Open to anyone providing care for a loved one. First Monday of every month, 6:00pm to 7:30pm in Jamaica Plain. Free. Contact Joanne Peskowitz, LICSW for more information: (617) 271-4182. Sponsored by Caregiver Alliance of Suffolk County.
LGBT Bereavement Groups:
For LGBT people of all ages coping with the loss of a loved one. Free six-week support group. To find a group in your area contact Bob Linscott (617) 522-1292. Sponsored by Ethos & The Massachusetts Department of Public Health. |
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Support The Important Work Of The LGBT Aging Project |
Our mission is to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elders and caregivers
have equal access to the life-prolonging benefits, protections, services, and institutions
that their heterosexual neighbors take for granted. Through cultural competency trainings, policy advocacy and outreach we help LGBT elders grow older with the dignity and respect they deserve.
You can support our mission by making a tax deductible donation or bequest.
Help us ensure equal access and respect for ALL LGBT elders and caregivers.
>>Click here to make an online donation on our secure web site.
If you are interested in becoming a corporate sponsor of the LGBT Aging Project,
please contact Lisa Krinsky (click to email) or call 617.522.1292
If someone sent you this email, click here to be added to our mailing list for future monthly newsletters from the LGBT Aging Project. |
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