A Milestone

I have a birthday coming when I will be begging another decade; I am lucky that I still have my mobility and my health is pretty good but it is getting to be that time where I need to think what I would be when I can no longer drive. Many elderly LGBT look towards senior communities, some need to move into a long term care facility, and others just need home care providers where ever we look there is one in the back of our minds… will they be trans friendly?

Portraits depict 'struggles and joys' of older transgender people
CNN
By Oscar Holland
22nd August 2018

America has witnessed unprecedented levels of transgender visibility in recent years.

But for 32-year-old Jess Dugan, who has been photographing the country's trans communities for the past 15 years, one demographic remains marginalized: seniors.

"I think, in general, a lot of the discussions around trans people are very youth-focused," she said in a phone interview. "And our culture, in general, is youth-focused.

"I wanted to both highlight and record the stories of older people who, in many cases, came out a long time ago -- and, in some cases, were directly responsible for creating this moment that we're in now, but who are somewhat overlooked. I think that older (trans) adults are often left out of that conversation."

In another article from April,

A Look at the Lives of Trans and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults
'To Survive on This Shore' has diverse narratives about aging and identity
Next Avenue
By Grace Birnstenge
April 20, 2018

Very little history, imagery or understanding of transgender older adults exists in the public sphere. The stories that circulate are often sensationalized, come from a lens of voyeurism or focus on celebrity figures.

To Survive on This Shore: Photographs and Interviews with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults, a photography and interview project turned into a book from photographer Jess T. Dugan and social worker Vanessa Fabbre — both based in St. Louis — provides a level of representation previously unseen for this community. The book features 65 portraits of trans older adults between ages 50 and 90. Dugan was the photographer and Fabbre led the interviews with the subjects, who gave the thoughtful and moving quotes featured in the book. Currently available for pre-order on Amazon (copies will ship Aug. 28), the book also will be available directly from the publisher, Kehrer Verlag, in late April.

Very little history, imagery or understanding of transgender older adults exists in the public sphere. The stories that circulate are often sensationalized, come from a lens of voyeurism or focus on celebrity figures.
[…]
Many people featured in the book bring up the experience of being transgender over decades and decades — how some things have changed and how some things haven’t. Jay, a then 59-year-old transgender man from New York who has since passed away, said in the ‘50s and ‘60s, LGBTQ folks were all lumped into the same category. “Society identified me as a lesbian and seemed to ignore my transgender status,” Jay’s passage says.
[…]
The powerful firsthand accounts in the book address issues of discrimination and elder abuse in health care and nursing homes; challenging and changing relationships with spouses, children and grandchildren; early trans activism; later-in-life transition (“I missed the first fifty years of my life, but I’m not missing the second fifty,” reads a quote from D’Santi, 54, of Santa Fe) and much, much more.

Here in Connecticut we have been working to change that.

There has been a coalition of individuals, non-profits, and government agencies working together to improve the lives of LGBT seniors. We have been training LTC, home care providers, senior centers. The Jewish Family Services has been the first to be certified as LGBT friendly. From the Hartford Courant,

Certification is achieved by adopting proactive and ongoing practices that go beyond current standards and policies of non-discrimination. Participating organizations embrace intentional inclusivity, defined as a collection of specific practices, such as cultural sensitivity training for staff, adoption of public messaging about inclusivity, and program sustainability measures.

"Many LGBT people do not know where to turn when they are in need of care at home or counseling services," said Patricia Kiely, Director, JFS Care at Home. "LGBT seniors may feel they have to hide their sexual or gender identities to feel safe when a caregiver comes into their home."

"When our clients reach out for help, whether with JFS Care at Home or Jewish Family Services, they are often feeling vulnerable enough, without having to concern themselves with LGBT stigma," said Anne Danaher, Executive Director Jewish Family Services. By becoming certified in "Getting It Right", and demonstrating LGBT competence through trainings and visibility, people in the LGBT community will know they are safe and welcome in our agencies."

I have done training there twice.

We also have what we call “The Moveable Senior Center,” area senior centers have on a rotating basis a day for LGBT activities (on my ToDo List is to update the website today). There are about a dozen towns that take part in the program.