In just six years, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that the number of people aged 60 and older in Alabama will jump past the 1 million mark, and the state Department of Senior Services wants Alabamians to help the state get ready for it.
The department will have its annual public hearing today to gather information about what people, particularly seniors, will need in the next few years to maintain their quality of life as they get older.
The hearing will start at 10 a.m. and will be held in the state Capitol Auditorium.
"The public has been invited to discuss long-term care needs and to propose changes to programs currently provided through (the department)," said Kaleigh Flatt, spokeswoman for the department.
The Department of Senior Services is responsible for coordinating state and federal programs that serve people who are 55 and older. For more, see the article in the Montgomery Advertiser, State agency prepares for boomers' rise.
In the article, Richard Rothenstein, states ....
Homophobia aside, our monolithic view of aging is an enormous part of the problem. We love our myths. Myth no. 1: Diversity, individuality and sexuality end at 65. Myth no. 2: Old queers are rich and are living out their retirements sipping cocktails by the pool. The reality is that the majority of gay elders, like a majority of elderly Americans are living on fixed incomes, depending on ridiculously inadequate Social Security benefits, wrestling their way through Medicare and Medicaid paperwork and oftentimes flirting with poverty and destitution as their medical and assisted living expenses devour their savings and investments. And on top of that they are dealing with homophobia, gay bashing, unique medical problems that have mostly been overlooked by the system and rampant ageism.
He discusses a number of different examples of aging gays and their struggles in life. As all of us baby boomers are now getting older, we really have to think more about where we might be when we are 80 years old. What steps within the gay community and society as a whole will have been made to provide more support for our specific needs. Will there be more gay only retirement villages with social services and medical support that meets the needs of gay elders?
I know we all want to be more included in society as a whole, and I think it is possible in some regions of this country. Mobile is a good example of a town that doesn't cater to gays, but doesn't turn its back on the needs of the gay community. Obviously it could be better and hopefully one day soon it will be. But as a gay elder, would I be accepted at one of the local nursing homes with open arms and fit in with the heteros there? I don't know. I am sure many before me have experienced what it's like to be gay and have to be confined in an environment that may not be as accepting of them as a gay person, and may not provide the support necessary to them because of prejudice or pure hatred. Who knows? I am only speculating here, I don't have any first hand experience and hopefully I won't ever be put into that situation that I can't be who I am.
And it's not only issues with gay vs hetero, it's the opinions of younger gays toward older gays. I recently heard someone comment, "I can't believe you old guys still go to the bars". And this is just an example of how young people misunderstand aging folks. They don't seem to realize that one day they will be in our shoes and probably having the younger crowd calling them "ole queens", not realizing that as we grow older, some of us let down our inhibitions and actually have fun..more fun than when we were young and more hung up on what other people thought about us.
For the full article mentioned above, see Queer Sited.
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