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Growing Older with Pride
What Aging Well Means to the LGBTQ+ Community
From the June 2025 Issue of THE CAIRN STONE
Aging presents unique challenges for members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in rural areas like Aroostook County, where access to affirming services can be limited and geographic isolation is common. Many LGBTQ+ older adults came of age during periods of legal and social discrimination, an experience that often affects their willingness to engage with healthcare providers, social services, and the larger community.
In Maine, 13% of older adults identify as LGBTQ+, amounting to an estimated 39,000 of our neighbors in the state. Yet despite increasing visibility and population growth, the needs of LGBTQ+ people as they age have historically been overlooked, often resulting in inadequate care and support.
LGBTQ+ older adults are statistically more than twice as likely to live alone, four times less likely to have children, and significantly more likely to face poverty and chronic health conditions than their heterosexual, cisgender peers. In rural areas, these disparities can be worsened by geography, a lack of culturally competent care providers, and fewer opportunities for social connection.
Barriers to Care and Connection
As with many older people, social isolation is one of the most pressing concerns for LGBTQ+ elders. Even though lack of connection increases the risk of physical and mental health decline, many members of the queer community avoid seeking support due to past experiences of
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of discrimination or fear of being misunderstood. Others may not see existing services as relevant or welcoming to them. At the same time, many community organizations and healthcare providers are not adequately trained in LGBTQ+ cultural competency. This can lead to gaps in care, miscommunication, and a lack of trust, especially in environments where assumptions about a person's lived experience aren't fully recognized.
Building Respectful Systems of Care
Creating person-centered systems for aging doesn’t require dramatic change, but it does require consistent, informed effort. Simple steps like being thoughtful about the design of intake forms, offering staff training, and displaying visible signs of support (such as LGBTQ+ friendly signage) can send an important signal that a space is safe and respectful.
For organizations, it’s also important to examine policies, language, and outreach strategies to ensure they don’t everyone sees themselves in the services that are offered. When services are designed to respect and account for diverse identities, family structures, and lived experiences, clients are more likely to trust providers and share accurate information. This leads to:
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Better assessments and diagnoses
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More appropriate referrals and care plans
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Fewer misunderstandings and service missteps
Proactively engaging LGBTQ+ older adults as partners in program development and promotion can lead to more time savings, reduced duplication, and fewer costly consequences of miscommunication.time, reduces duplication, and minimizes the costly consequences of miscommunication. In addition, people who feel seen and respected are more likely to engage early and consistently with support systems, helping to ensure that early intervention addresses issues before they escalate into crises.
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Opportunities in Rural Communities
While rural regions face resource limitations, they also offer opportunities for strong relationship-based networks of care. Small communities often rely on informal systems of support—neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers stepping in to meet local needs, and organizations working across sectors. These strengths can be leveraged to improve outcomes for LGBTQ+ older adults, provided there is a clear commitment to building a welcoming community.
Resources for LGBTQ+ Older Adults and Providers
Several regional and national organizations offer support tailored to the needs of LGBTQ+ elders and those who serve them:
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SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) provides a range of tools, policy recommendations, and programs to support aging LGBTQ+ individuals, including cultural competency training, financial wellness platforms, and advocacy for inclusive housing. Earlier this year, SAGE published a report entitled LGBTQ+ Aging in Rural Environments, which provides a deeper look at the lived experience of members of the LGBTQ+ community in rural regions like Aroostook County.
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National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging provides extensive educational materials, policy guidance, and provider resources to LGBTQ+ elders and the organizations that serve them.
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Network for Older Adults, a program of Equality Maine, provides monthly community meals (including one in Aroostook County at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Houlton on the third Saturday of the month), a virtual statewide social hour on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 5-6 p.m., and a virtual speaker series on the 2nd Friday of every other month.
Pride as a Catalyst for Year-Round Inclusion
Pride Month provides an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of LGBTQ+ people to their communities and to assess whether current systems are meeting the unique needs of LGBTQ+ older adults. It also underscores the importance of maintaining this focus year-round...and not just in June.
The Aroostook Agency on Aging has long been committed to respectful practices and informed service delivery, helping the members of our community who identify as LGBTQ+ access the resources, services, and supports necessary to thrive as they age. We foster spaces — in our office, at our Access Points, and in an online context — where older adults of all identities feel safe, seen, and valued. Whether it’s through home-delivered meals, Adult Day Services, volunteerism, or caregiver education, we’re working to ensure that no one has to hide who they are to receive care, companionship, or a helping hand.
And you can help, too! Creating a welcoming community doesn’t require expertise in LGBTQ+ issues — it just requires empathy. It means not making assumptions about someone’s relationships or history. It means listening when someone shares their truth. It means checking in, extending an invitation, and making sure no one feels like they have to age alone or in silence.
This Pride Month, we invite you to celebrate the strength, dignity, and contributions of LGBTQ+ elders across Aroostook County — not just for who they have been, but for who they continue to be. Their stories matter, and their aging journeys deserve the same care, respect, and joy we all hope for in our own later years.
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