Simitian proposes partnership with Avenidas for LGBTQ seniors
SAN JOSE – Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors today voted to take the first steps in providing new services for LGBTQ Seniors in partnership with Avenidas, the North County non-profit aging care center. The partnership was proposed by County Supervisor Joe Simitian. Services are meant to identify and alleviate issues that LGBTQ seniors face in the North County area.
“By collaborating with Avenidas, the County has an opportunity to partner with a strong, respected and established leader in the senior care community,” said Simitian about the County’s potential partnership. “Their work speaks for itself. And I think Avenidas is the perfect partner; their experience and compassion make for a winning combination. And their desire to do even more for LGBTQ seniors is very good news.”
Avenidas is a non-profit that offers services for older adults throughout the Mid-Peninsula area, including Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, and other communities. The goal of Simitian’s proposal is to expand current services such as case management, caregiver support, transportation, and visitation. Avenidas also hopes to add new services that include socialization for the LGBTQ community as well as health education and cultural competency workshops for staff and community partners.
The proposed partnership, said Simitian, reflects the fact that LGBTQ seniors face unique economic and health disparities relative to the general senior population. They are twice as likely to live alone, and four times less likely to have children than their heterosexual counterparts. This increases the potential for isolation, and they may be more vulnerable to neglect and mistreatment in aging care facilities. Some LGBTQ older adults also feel forced “back into the closet” in care facilities, as being openly LGBTQ can result in discrimination and harassment from staff and other facility residents.
“We are now ready to step up and fill the gap in the area of LGBTQ services for older adults,” said Amy Andonian the Executive Director of Avenidas said when asked about the potential for new services. “Our goal is to expand current services such as case management, caregiver support, transportation, friendly visiting, health education, and socialization/recreation for LGBTQ seniors."
Before these new services will become available, County Staff will draft a report on how these services will be implemented, which will be presented at the first Board of Supervisors meeting in December for Board approval.