WLEN LGBT Update- November 2013

LGBT Update

November 2013

In This Issue

WLEN- Worcester LGBT Elder Network, is a joint effort of Elder Services of Worcester Area Inc.,

Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging and the Worcester Senior Center, with ongoing collaboration with the LGBT Aging Project in Boston.

Rainbow Lunch

Club Bus Service

Did you know that you can reach the Rainbow Lunch Club via public transport?

The outbound WRTA Route 8 bus from Union Station to the Greendale Mall stops on Shore Drive across from the Unitarian Universalist Church parking lot. The inbound trip from Greendale Mall to Union Station stops at the bottom of the parking lot.

A bus leaves the Union Station Hub at 11:30 a.m., from City Hall at 11:33, and arrives across from the church at Shore Drive and Holden Street at 11:43 a.m. Buses from Greendale Mall to Union Station leave the UUWC parking lot at 1:07 p.m. or 2:07 p.m. They arrive at City Hall at 1:25 and 2:25 and at Union Station at 1:30 and 2:30.

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Elder Services and its programs are funded in whole or in part by contracts with or grants from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. It also receives Federal financial support under the Older Americans Act provided by the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging. Funders also include United Way of Central Massachusetts, local Councils on Aging, participant donations, grants and individual support

Benefits of Coming Out

October 11, 2013, was the 25^thanniversary of National Coming Out Day. This year's theme was "Coming Out Still Matters." Some of us came out so many years ago that we can hardly remember the first time we told someone that we were gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Others of us remember it as if it were yesterday. But even if you've been out since you were a teenager or young adult, you may be still be coming out; certainly to new acquaintances and often about new insights into who you are. Coming out is not an event but a process.

Older LGBT people are often hesitant to share their sexual or gender identities publicly for fear of discrimination. Their reluctance is understandable given the history of non-acceptance that older LGBT people experienced when they were coming of age. Before the Stonewall riots birthed the gay rights movement, homosexual behavior was illegal and was considered immoral and a mental illness. Being found out could mean losing employment, being institutionalized or imprisoned. The mere whisper of being anything but heterosexual could invite violence and intolerance. Gender non-conformity has always been judged more harshly.

Even after Stonewall in 1969, life for gay men, lesbians, and bisexual and transgender people was not easy. Homosexuality was not removed from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, used by mental health providers) until 1973, and it was years before mainstream clinicians accepted the fact. The 1980s brought the scourge of AIDS, especially for the gay male community. This virulent disease meant a quick and painful death and soon became identified with being gay -- another reason to keep one's orientation private. One good thing to come out of the AIDS pandemic was that LGBT communities learned how to organize to care for and advocate for themselves.

The result, for some LGBT older adults, has been that any contact with government, medical or social service organizations is fraught with peril. Fear of discovery can cause people who were previously out to dive back into the closet. Whenever that happens, LGBT people risk their ability to thrive. "Living in the closet can be stressful and can be emotionally taxing," according to activist and trainer Terri Clark. She is the author of a fact sheet for the National Resource Center for LGBT Aging called " Safer Sex for Seniors: Coming Out Can Be Ageless."

So, why come out?

There are many benefits to living life out in the open:

People in the closet can't truly be themselves if they are holding back a basic part of their identity.
The effort of protecting your identity from others is extremely stressful, which has a negative effect on health and well-being.
Not coming out to your physician prevents a doctor from treating all parts of who you are. This prevents him or her from screening for important health risks and deprives you of valuable information that can improve your well-being.
Staying closeted cuts you off from the support found in relationships with people like youself.
Besides, it's lonely and cramped in there.

The Human Rights Campaign has more coming out resources here.

Adult Day Health

The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care has this description of Adult Day Health services on its web site:

Adult Day Health Care is for Veterans who need skilled services, case management, and assistance with activities of daily living (e.g., bathing and getting dressed) or instrumental activities of daily living (e.g., fixing meals and taking medicines); are isolated or their caregiver is experiencing burden.

The keys to qualifying for an Adult Day Health program are need and isolation or caregiver burden. Life can take unexpected twists and turns, one of which can leave a person unable to stay independent. Adult Day Health allows that person to remain at home while still getting the care and attention of long-term care when the person's principal caregiver is unavailable.

Lisa Pontbriand, a licensed social worker, is the Director of St. Francis Adult Day Health in Worcester and has been involved with WLEN since its inception. She will talk to diners at the Rainbow Lunch Club on Wednesday, November 13. She is an engaging speaker who will mix her personal story with her 27 years of working at St. Francis.

St. Francis Adult Day Health offers alternatives to nursing home care and an opportunity to remain independent. It provides mental and physical stimulation for elderly and disabled people living in the community to enhance their quality of life. The consumers who attend the adult day care have fun, make new friends and look forward to special events that are planned for them. This information can be invaluable to someone struggling with loved ones who are unable to take care of themselves and want alternatives to nursing home care. St Francis Adult Day Health is gay friendly.

Lisa will also share her "personal" story, which is quite interesting. Adult day health may not be an immediate need that for you or someone you know. Here's a chance to learn what it's all about from an insider in both aging services and the WLEN community.

The Rainbow Lunch Club meets every second Wednesday of the month (on November 13th this month) at noon at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, 90 Holden Street. It is located on the corner of Holden Street and Shore Drive, next to Bancroft School. Parking is accessible from Shore Drive. See the sidebar for bus service to the site.

Please make a reservation a week in advance, by November 6, so we know how many meals to order. You may make a reservation by calling Joan Anderson at (508) 756-1545 ext. 404 or sending an email to wlen@eswa. You may also join the Rainbow Lunch Club MeetUp group and register from here: http://www.meetup.com/Rainbow-Lunch-Club/.

MENU: Eggplant parmesan, green beans, pasta, and chocolate pudding.

Future Rainbow Lunch Club dates: December 11, 2013, January 8, 2014, February 12, 2014.