SUPPORT FOR OLDER LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS IN THE SOUTH COAST

Imagine having the courage and the determination to come out during an era where hatred towards LGBTQ+ people often resulted in harassment, exclusion, arrest, or worse - only to have to go back into the closet later in life because society still does not fully embrace you, let alone provide the specialized support you need because you are an LGBTQ+ individual. The LGBTQ+ trailblazers among us - those who paved the way for contemporary LGBTQ+ freedoms with seminal events like the Stonewall Riots in 1969 - deserve better. The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network is here to help.

presenting aging well

Aging Well is a program from The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network whose goal is to address the challenges that exist for our aging and underserved LGBTQ+ population:
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• Strong anti-LGBT prejudice in rural Massachusetts, and from age peers across the Commonwealth
• Mental health needs specific to social isolation and lack of connection during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The need for social activities that create a sense of community and belonging
• The need for ongoing services and mental health care for LGBT widows and widowers
• Transportation needs, especially in rural Massachusetts
• Experiencing discrimination in assisted living and other housing
• Lack of LGBT-competent and -affirming health care in rural Massachusetts

​Source: Fenway Group

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supper clubs for older LGBTQ+ individuals in the south coast

FairHAVEN, MASS.

Takes place at the Fairhaven Council on Aging on the fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:00-7:00 p.m. No cost to attend! Email [email protected] to RSVP.

MARION, Mass.

Hosted by the Marion Council on Aging on the second Wednesday of the month from 5:00-7:00 p.m. No cost to attend! Email [email protected] to RSVP.

join the breakfast club!

Reserve the last Friday of the month for a fun breakfast gathering at Munchies in Fall River, Mass.!

REGISTER HERE

WESTPORT COFFEE HOUr

Come to the Westport, Mass., Council on Aging on the first Friday of the month at 10:00 a.m. for coffee hour with friends! Call (774) 775-2656 to register.

spanning the generations

We believe that the older members of the South Coast LGTBQ+ community have a lot to offer the younger generation - and vice versa. Events such as our Intergenerational Holiday Brunch (pictured below) are wonderful opportunities for everyone across the age spectrum to make new connections that lead to happiness and fulfillment.

our partners

bristol aging & Wellness, Inc.

The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network's programs for older LGBTQ+ individuals are funded in part by a grant from the Bristol Aging & Wellness, Inc., through a contract with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging & Independence.

the association for the relief of aged women

ARAW, the Association for the Relief of Aged Women of New Bedford, sponsors many of the programs and services The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network offers to older LGBTQ+ individuals in our community.