SALEM — North Shore Elder Services has developed a new outreach program to communicate with a population that for so long has gone without a voice — local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elders.
"Many of these people would have lost their jobs or their houses when they came of age, so they tended to fly under the radar," said Bob Linscott, assistant director of the LGBT Aging Project. "Because of the fear of 'outing' and discovery, many of them will not even ask for services," he said.
North Shore Elder Services (NSES) hosted a summer picnic OUTing at the Salem Willows yesterday for local LGBT elders. About 40 people attended the picnic, where they listened to Salem historian Jim McAllister speak about the history of the Willows.
Social isolation is a major problem for LGBT elders, and many of them do not have children or grandchildren to care for them as they age. Enter the Old and Bold Coalition, created by NSES to communicate the services and programs unique to LGBTs. The coalition consists of both community members and LGBT elders.
"The whole moral of the story is, North Shore Elder has a clientele that they're trying to connect with," said Gary Gill, Salem resident and chief organizer of yesterday's event.
Gill volunteers at Cafe Emmanuel in Boston, a weekly luncheon for LGBT seniors sponsored by nonprofit organization Ethos. When Ethos was looking for a place for Cafe Emmanuel to meet outside the city, Gill suggested Salem as a perfect location.
"They took on my idea, and that was to bring a group of people that weren't able to get away for the summer and bring them to the North Shore to see the beach, have a picnic, have a little socialization going on," Gill said.
Gill also happens to be a member of the Old and Bold Coalition, so he saw the event as a great way to unite LGBT elders from Boston with those on the North Shore.
"(NSES) wants to try to tap into the North Shore and connect the North Shore with the group from Boston and have an open communication between the two," Gill said.
People from Boston arrived by ferry and train, and they were joined by others from Salem, Peabody and Danvers. Mayor Kim Driscoll also attended the event and welcomed everyone to the city of Salem. After the picnic, the group went to the Peabody Essex Museum and the Salem Farmers Market.
"We are getting people connected socially. It's important for them to meet other people and to walk into any site and feel comfortable," Linscott said.
NSES and its Old and Bold Coalition hope to eventually establish a weekly luncheon or dinner program similar to Cafe Emmanuel, as well as more social events in the future. Paul Lanzikos, executive director of the NSES, said, "I believe there is a very, very strong foundation in the coalition that is actively being established here on the North Shore."
Event sponsors included Boston's Best Cruises, Salem Trolley, the Peabody Essex Museum, Home Kitchen & Bath of Salem, Lotus Gifts, NSES and Ethos.
For more information on elder LGBT services, social events or volunteer information, call the Old and Bold Coalition at 978-624-2261.
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