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 LGTBQ+ 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:
​

• 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

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 2021 Intergenerational Holiday Brunch (pictured below) are wonderful opportunities for everyone across the age spectrum to make new connections that lead to happiness and fulfillment.