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British Columbia Seniors Games to have gay team
It’s great to see athletes in my age rage and older. Maybe I’ll be one of them someday, when I get serious about my health and stop the inertia.
The Seniors Games in Canada’s British Columbia will have a gay team for the first time.
From Canada’s Xtra:
The first gay and lesbian team to attend the BC Seniors Games is in training and on track to queer up one of the province’s biggest sports gatherings.
“Let’s be there and be queer” is the group’s catch-cry as it seeks competitors and supporters for the games, hosted by the West Kootenay towns of Nelson, Trail and Castlegar from August 16-20.
Alexandra Henriques, community developer for Qmunity’s Generations program, is coordinating the pioneering contingent.
“Individuals have gone to the games, but we’ve never had an organized queer representation as far as I know,” she says.
“There’s a sport or activity for everyone aged 55-plus, everything from card games to pool to one-act plays.”
The annual event attracts about 3,500 participants in more than 24 activities, including archery, badminton, bocce, bridge, carpet bowling, cribbage, cycling, darts, dragon boat racing, equestrian events, five-pin bowling, curling, golf, horseshoes, ice hockey, pickleball, soccer, tennis, table tennis, track and field, and whist.
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Artist in San Diego donates proceeds to LGBT seniors
San Diego artist William E. Kelly recently had an exhibit and donated 30 percent of the proceeds to San Diego’s LGBT senior community.
From LGBT Weekly:
Local artist William E. Kelly hosted an event last night at the White Buddha Lounge at Saigon on Fifth to benefit the underserved LGBT senior community in the city of San Diego.
[SNIP]
“The community is ill-prepared to meet the increasing burdens that a growing senior and LGBT senior population is experiencing or about to experience in increasing numbers,” Kelly explained to the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. “This is a brewing crisis. We need to not only make the community aware of the challenges but bring them together to find reasonable solutions.”
For his 60th birthday, Kelly and his husband Bob Taylor requested donations in lieu of gifts in order to open the Kelly/Taylor Senior Assistance Fund at the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation – an organization with which Kelly has long been connected.
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Survey focuses on treatment of LGBT elders in long-term care facilities
A recent report shows more than half of surveyed LGBT older adults believe we’ll be mistreated in long term care facilities.
From Senior Housing News:
Results from a survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults found more than half believe that staff or other residents of long-term care facilities would abuse or neglect an LGBT elder.
Published by the National Senior Citizens Law Center, the survey reached 769 individuals, of those people, 328 reported 853 instances of mistreatment in such facilities. Of those participating in the survey, 284 identified themselves as LGBT older adults. Others said they were family members, friends, social service providers, legal services providers, or other interested individuals.
“Our hope is that this report provokes thought, raises critical questions, and compels future systematic research that can be used to dive deeper into the issues raised by these findings and the many personal stories we received,” says National Senior Citizens Law Center Executive Director Paul Nathanson.]]>