Usually, a few timid hands come up around the room, he said. At the end of the 60-minute discussion, he asks the question again.
“Without fail, 100 percent of people raise their hands” that second time, Emery said. “The fact is, everyone knows someone who is LGBTQ+, but they’re not used to talking about it until someone comes in and makes it okay.”
Robert Emery, a founding board member of Coalition for Aging LGBTQ+ in Dallas. Emery, a founding board member of Coalition for Aging LGBTQ+ in Dallas, said that during the last decade, he’s noticed more and more seniors proclaiming their place in the community. He said the rising number of seniors coming out is inextricably linked to how supported and empowered they feel.
“[Openly LGBTQ+ seniors] have a great risk of being abused and neglected when it comes to housing,” Emery said. “And a majority of LGBTQ+ seniors reported abuse or neglect after being outed to staff. It’s unbelievably powerful to be supported by management.” Emery said he advocates for the approximate 400,000 LGBTQ+ seniors in North Texas by providing cultural competencies training at retirement communities and LGBTQ residents. […]
Click here to read the full piece. This story was originally published by Dallas Doing Good on June 12, 2024.
