How It All Began
The growing population of aging Americans has very important implications for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities nationwide. Although the number of LGBT seniors is also growing, most significant is the lack of visibility and presence of LGBT seniors in American society. In fact, LGBT seniors are almost invisible as a group within mainstream culture. Few government agencies or leaders in the mainstream healthcare profession see LGBT seniors as a distinct group requiring professional practices and services that are culturally sensitive. Without being treated as a special population, little progress can be made toward offering culturally appropriate services and care to LGBT seniors. In addition, most government entitlements for seniors discriminate against LGBT seniors. And although there has been progress since the birth of the LGBT civil rights movement in 1969, there are still many barriers preventing LGBT seniors from living more open lives in society.
In March 2000, as a response to these issues, the Alliance Healthcare Foundation, a San Diego-based, private healthcare foundation, helped form a LGBT Senior Community Advisory Committee. This advisory board was comprised of funders, healthcare providers, social service providers, aging specialists and concerned citizens. The goal of the advisory board was to conduct an empirically based, comprehensive needs assessment for San Diego’s LGBT seniors.
This needs assessment, which was conducted in 2001 through 2003 and published in 2004, provided grant makers and service providers with a strong characterization of the LGBT senior community in San Diego County. Results of this needs assessment focused on a variety of important issues most affecting the health needs of these seniors. This important data provided the groundwork for a comprehensive community plan to better handle the needs of San Diego’s LGBT seniors.
A second LGBT Senior Community Advisory Committee was formed in 2004 with a mandate to design a program reflective of the recommendations of the LGBT Senior Needs Assessment. The work of this committee resulted in a collaborative agreement among five separate San Diego County healthcare agencies, with Elderhelp of San Diego as the lead agency. Along with this collaborative agreement, a grant was submitted and approved, and thus, a new program called Aging As Ourselves was born.