Social disparities for elderly people and LGBTQ+ people are well-documented, but when it comes to the 2.4 million people in the United States that occupy both camps, a unique situation arises.
According to the American Psychological Association, members of the LGBTQ+ community who are 65-or-older are disproportionately affected by poverty and physical and mental health struggles. They are also more vulnerable to discrimination and neglect in their living situations because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Coalition for Aging LGBT, a Dallas-based nonprofit, aims to change this for elderly LGBTQ+ folk in Collin, Denton, Tarrant and Dallas counties.
"The mission of the CFA is essentially to improve the education and opportunities for LGBTQ+ members of the community in housing, medical care, legal needs, etc.," said Vic Holmes, one of the organization's directors who works as an associate professor at the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth. "Basically, to help the aging member continue to live their best lives."
Since being established in 2011, CFA has collaborated with other nonprofit partners such as Lambda Legal, The Alzheimer's Association, North Texas LGBT Chamber and more. According to CFA consultant Sandy Anderson, more than 2,700 senior citizens benefited from CFA's various programs.
Many of these programs are of an educational nature, including classes on financial security that help protect senior citizens from predatory practices. Other programs cover cyber security, health insurance, social media and other facets of daily life.
One of the organization's signature events is its Annual Summit of LGBT Aging, which has been among its many offerings since 2015. The second summit was held in Plano in 2016 (and featured then-Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere as a speaker), and as planning continues for the 2023 summit, Anderson says Collin County is "definitely in the mix as we try to rotate this event around our four counties."
"CFA LGBT envisions a world in which all LGBT seniors have the resources and support they need to 'age in place' and navigate the multifaceted challenges of aging," Anderson said.
Garrett Gravley is the reporter for the Plano Star Courier, Allen American, Little Elm Journal and The Colony Courier-Leader. Email him at ggravley@starlocalmedia.com with story suggestions.
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