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 | LGBT Aging Project presented a panel discussion on LGBT Aging and Caregiving for the Boston University Geriatric Conference Series this month.
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"Do Tell"
The LGBT Aging Project's
Monthly Newsletter
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I often welcome you to another edition of our newsletter by saying 'It's been a busy month at the LGBT Aging Project.' This month we decided to give you a glimpse into a typical month with the Aging Project. So, in addition to all the important announcements about the upcoming annual LGBT Aging Conference, a new Memory Fitness course and LGBT Bereavement Group we also bring you a 'behind the scenes' look at a month with us.
So in the future, when your read another message from us that hints of our crazy schedule you will know exactly what that looks like!
Enjoy and Happy New Year!
Best,
Bob Linscott
Assistant Director, LGBT Aging Project
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| Message From The Director |
Dear Friends, The LGBT Aging Project is starting off 2013 at full speed! I want to make sure you know about two important pieces of LGBT Aging legislation that are being filed at the State House as the new legislative session begins. We are pleased that Rep. Sarah Peake has filed the LGBT Aging Commission bill and that Senator Pat Jehlen will co-lead sponsor the bill with her. The bill establishes a twenty member Commission to investigate the health, housing, financial, psycho-social and long-term care needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults and their caregivers and to make recommendations to improve access to benefits and services where appropriate and necessary. Rep. Liz Malia has also re-filed a bill entitled "An Act relative to LGBT awareness training for aging services providers". This bill states: Most mainstream aging service providers have limited knowledge of the unique issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults and caregivers. This legislation proposes that the Executive Office of Elder Affairs develop a curriculum for the delivery of accessible and appropriate services for LGBT older adults, with the goal of preventing and eliminating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression as well as improving access to services. These are two tremendous opportunities to increase attention and responsiveness to LGBT aging issues and we are grateful to our sponsors for their initiative. Please contact your local state representative and ask him/her to co-sign these bills. They can do so by calling Rep. Peake's office at 617.722-2015 to support the LGBT Aging Commission and Rep. Malia's office at 617.722.2060 to support the LGBT awareness training bill. What a great way to start off 2013!
Lisa Krinsky, LICSW
Director, LGBT Aging Project
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Our Sponsor:
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Our 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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Registration Is Open: 2013 Conference on LGBT Aging!
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LGBT Elders In An Ever Changing World will take place Monday March 11 at Salem State University. This conference, presented by The LGBT Aging Project, North Shore Elder Services and Salem State State University School of Social Work is even bigger than last year. We expect to draw close to 300 professionals, service providers, students, health care practitioners, allies and LGBT older adults.
Registration and workshop information is available online click here.
View, Print or Post (thank you) the 2013 Conference Flyer click here.
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Important Outreach Initiative: Connecting LGBT Older Adults On Cape Cod
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Today LGBT adults in eastern Massachusetts are fortunate enough to now have eight different LGBT Community Meal Programs and a variety of opportunities for ongoing engagement through LGBT senior social groups or educational programs for LGBT older adults. Western Mass currently has only one LGBT Community Meal Program but there are active social groups in Worcester and Franklin county. The one region in Massachusetts that is under served is Cape Cod and the Islands. Due to the hard work by the leadership of the Yarmouth Council on Aging there are regular programs and social opportunities for LGBT older adults at their senior center. The Orleans Council on Aging is also hoping to launch similar programs but these two areas can not serve all the LGBT older adults living on the Cape and Islands. There are potentially hundreds of LGBT older adults and elders aging alone on the Cape without any social or community supports. Many of these individuals are reluctant to seek the life sustaining services that they are entitled to that would help them age in place in their own homes. Thanks to a grant from the Cape's GALE Fund The LGBT Aging Project is convening two important community meetings on Cape Cod to discuss this critical issue.The meetings will be held on Wednesday March 6th in two locations:
11am to 1pm at Orleans Senior Center & COA 150 Rock Harbor Rd, Orleans MA
4pm to 6pm at Yarmouth Senior Center & COA, 528 Forest Rd, West Yarmouth MA Both locations were chosen because they have already established themselves as welcoming places for LGBT older adults.  Who should attend: ANYONE who has any kind of contact with older adults. In particular we want to encourage elder service workers, members of faith communities, medical providers, public safety representatives and elected officials. In addition we would love to have members of the LGBT community of ALL ages and allies who are interested in helping us bring services and a sense of community to countless people who are currently isolated and aging alone on the Cape.
Both meetings are free and open to the public. Questions: Contact Bob Linscott by email click here or by phone: 617-522-1292. Please post the flyer for these meetings: click here
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Behind The Scenes AT The LGBT Aging Project
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The new year began with business as usual at The LGBT Aging Project. On January 3rd one of our social work interns, Mitra Tumino, co-facilitated the final meeting for the LGBT Bereavement Group in Cambridge. Then on Monday evening Jan 7th she also facilitated our LGBT Caregiver group. Mitra was out again on Tuesday night with another one of our social work interns, Laura Sheers, to help Ethos with their newest LGBT supper club, Out4Supper in Jamaica Plain. This same week Lisa presented on LGBT Aging and Caregiving for the Arlington Providers Group. The following day Lisa and Dale Mitchell, LGBT Aging Project's Board Chair, met with Rep Sarah Peake to discuss LGBT aging and caregiving issues. On the 11th both Lisa and Bob met with the members of M'LANA (Massachusetts LGBT Aging Needs Assessment coalition) to work on upcoming research projects, target policy work and review proposals for future publications. That weekend on Sat Jan 12th Mitra helped to facilitate Ethos 's Out 2 Brunch.
The following week Lisa, Bob and our 3rd social work intern, Jen Buck, made the trip to North Shore Elder Services to meet with the planning committee for the upcoming conference "LGBT Elders in and Ever Changing World." On the following day, as most people were heading home after a long day at work Lisa and Mitra were en route to Malden to welcome participants to Mystic Tea, the new LGBT meal and social program for LGBT sponsored by Mystic Valley Elder Service. At the same time Bob was making the journey to Gloucester to speak at a focus group on LGBT Aging at SeniorCare. This was SeniorCare's first community event in their work to becoming a welcoming agency for LGBT older adults. On the 16th Lisa and Jen led a discussion on LGBT Aging at Boston University's School of Social Work. That weekend Bob gave a presentation to the Boston Prime Timers at Harriet Tubman House.
The next week Bob and Lisa made the long trip to Fairhaven to meet with representatives from Coastline Elder Services and the Fairhaven Senior Center who are interested in cultural competency training for their agencies and launching the first supper club for LGBT seniors in the New Bedford area. The next day Lisa led an Open Door Task Force training for the staff at Somerville Council on Aging. While that was going on Bob brought a group of LGBT older adults to speak to doctors, medical providers and medical students at Boston University's Geriatric Conference Series (pictured at the top of newsletter). On the 24th Lisa represented the Aging Project at the LGBT Senior Pride Coalition's first meeting of 2013 to plan this year's Pride events for LGBT seniors. In between all these travels, presentations and meetings we also manage to find the time for our ongoing work which includes grant writing, supervising our interns, managing our Healthy Aging, Caregiver and LGBT Bereavement Programs, budget work, planning meetings, outreach and technical support for Open Door agencies, fielding calls and emails from all across the country and attempting to get our newsletter out on time!
During the final week of the month Lisa did a Board training on LGBT Aging for a local elder service provider. Bob did a presentation on Compassionate Care for LGBT Older Adults for the medical students and faculty at Mass General's Institute of Health. Lisa closed the week out by conducting a train-the- trainer session for a three hour LGBT aging module to be part of the standard curriculum for personal and home care aides.
On February 1st we will start all over again!
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Note: this story is also on our website's blog feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you think of this behind the scenes look.
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The Next Memory Fitness Course Begins February 12 In Malden
|  Memory Training Course from UCLA Center on Aging New class starting Tuesday February 12th in Malden! Have you ever forgotten a friend's name, where you left your keys or your glasses? If so, this course is for you. This free four week class will help you learn some wonderful techniques to strengthen your mind and help you learn new strategies to prevent significant memory loss that often accompanies aging. Courses will be held Tuesday afternoons from 11am to 1pm. February 12th to March 5th. This program is FREE! Co Sponsored by Mystic Valley Elder Services  | | Participants from a recent Memory Class in Salem at the Peabody Essex Museum |
For more information or to register call Bob Linscott at (617) 477-6610. These courses offer a great way to meet other older LGBT adults in your area. Memory Training for LGBT Older Adults and Caregivers is part of the LGBT Aging Project's Healthy Aging Program funded by The Tufts Health Plan Foundation. |
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New LGBT Bereavement Group Forming In Boston
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A free 8 week group for LGBT adults who are coping with the loss of a loved one.
The next group is anticipated to begin mid to late February 2013 in the greater Boston Area
Interested persons should contact:
Mitra Tummino
Clinical social work intern, LGBT Aging Project
617-477-6690 mtummino@lgbtagingproject.org
About the LGBT Bereavement Program:
The LGBT Bereavement Groups are funded by the Mass Department of Public Health and facilitated by Ethos and The LGBT Aging Project. All groups are free and run for 8 weeks. All groups require pre-registration. For more information on the LGBT Bereavement Program contact Bob Linscott at (617) 477-6610 or blinscott@lgbtagingproject.org. |
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In The News
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Assessing current and future housing and support options for older LGB people in the UK. (we thought you might like to know what's going on overseas)by Sara Carr and Paul Ross, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
This study looks at the how the choice of housing and support for older lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people is perceived, and how it could support LGB individuals to have a better life. It looks at the potential of personalisation in improving choice and control, and the importance of LGB people feeling safe to share their identity and life history, particularly for dementia. It found that:
- The present choice of mainstream housing and support for older LGB people is currently experienced as inadequate or perceived as unsafe.
- Older LGB people should be involved with local strategic planning and able to choose from safe 'mixed' mainstream and specialist LGB community options;
- LGB communities have a tradition of mutual self-help, supportive friendship networks and 'chosen families' which need to be understood and nurtured for older LGB people;
- Younger LGB people prioritise maintaining independence and combating social isolation in older age; and
- International innovations show how formal, larger housing and support initiatives for older LGB people can grow from and nurture community support and friendship networks.
>> Click here for full article
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Community Announcements
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National Resource Center on LGBT Aging Survey: Your Voice Counts!
 The LGBT Aging Project has been proud to be a training partner of the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging for the past three years. One way you can support the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is by participating in the third annual survey! From the beginning, input from aging service providers, LGBT organizations and LGBT older people has been vital to its success. The survey gives us information on how the Center is doing in reaching key audiences as well as what other resources the Center can provide to help improve the lives of LGBT older adults across the country.
Complete the survey today (it will close in just a few days) and let them know what you think of their work to reach key audiences as well as what other resources we can provide to help improve the lives of LGBT older adults across the country. And please forward the survey link to anyone who may be interested in participating. The more responses, the more they can learn. Thank you!
>> Click here to take the survey>>Click here to visit the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging
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On Going Support Groups
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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 The LGBT Aging Project.
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 and facilitated by The LGBT Aging Project.
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Community Meal Programs For LGBT Older Adults
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 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 call (617) 477-6610
Sponsored by: Ethos & The Ethos Equality Fund
Music Program: 1st and 3rd Thursdays every month
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 Ethos Equality Fund Jamaica Plain:
Out 4 Supper: A Boston Supper Club For LGBT Seniors & Friends
When: First Tuesday of every month 6:00pm to 8:00pm Where: Mount Pleasant Home, 301 South Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain, MA RSVP: online, www.ethocare.org or call 617-522-6700 x306 Sponsored by: Ethos, Ethos Equality Fund and Mount Pleasant Home 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: Call 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. Metro East:
Lakeside Cafe
When: 3rd Monday of the month, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm Where: Sharon Adult Center, 219 Massapoag Ave, Sharon, MA RSVP: to Jayne Davis, HESSCO (781) 784-4944 Transportation: Call Nancy Weiner, Sharon Adult Center (781) 784-8000 Sponsored by: HESSCO Elder Services and Sharon Adult Center Worcester Area Rainbow Lunch Club When: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 12:00pm Where: Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester 90 Holden Street, Worcester RSVP: Call or email by the first Wednesday (508) 756-1545 ext.339 wlen@eswa.org Sponsored by: Elder Services of Worcester Area, WLEN, UU Church of Worcester Tri City Area (Malden, Everett, Medford) Mystic Tea When: 3rd Tuesday of the month, 4pm to 6pm Where: Mystic Valley Elder Services, 300 Commercial Street #19, Malden, MA RSVP: (781) 388-2375 Sponsored by: Mystic Valley Elder Services
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Support The Important Work Of The LGBT Aging Project
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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.
(Donations are collected through our Fiscal Sponsor, Third Sector New England, through a safe secure site for non-profits: Network For Good. Make sure you select The LGBT Aging Project in the drop down menu when making a donation)
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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