Older, out, and infinitely proud: a look inside a lifesaving LGBTQ senior home.

Our LGBTQ seniors deserve better. Finally, more people are paying attention.

As a transgender woman, 65-year-old Eva Skye knows firsthand that living her truth means living in danger too. Three years ago, the only home she had was at a single room occupancy housing facility, or SRO, for those living in poverty. There, she often chose to trek up several flights of stairs to her fifth floor room instead of taking the elevator out of fear she'd be trapped and assaulted by other residents.

When I talk to Skye, her brightness fills the room with color. She's rocking a hot pink top, flashy blue fingernails, and a rainbow bracelet wrapped around her left wrist. "I’m a 65-year-old trans-queer punk mom," she explains in a gentle voice, brushing back hair dyed the color of rosé wine.

Eva Skye. Photo by Robbie Couch/Upworthy.

Keep Reading Show less
lgbtq seniors chicago discrimination nursing homes senior care elder care lgbtq seniors senior residence in the closet town hall apartments center on addison affordable housing low-income seniors senior housing elder housing chicago housing authority property rental assistance program
More

These twins celebrated their 100th birthday with a photo shoot too cute for words.

Twin sisters Paulina Pignaton Pandolfi and Maria Pignaton Pontin celebrated their 100th birthday May 24.

The milestone birthday made the local news, catching photographer Camila Lima's attention. Lima reached out to the twins and their families and set up a delightful, borderline-magical photo shoot in Vitória, Brazil.

Paulina (left) and Maria celebrate their big day. All photos by Fotografa Camila Lima, used with permission.

Keep Reading Show less
seniors brazil photography twins birthdays 100 years old
More

People with dementia might be in danger from telephone scams. The U.K.'s got a neat fix.

Richard Guthrie, 92, said he took the scammer's phone calls because he was lonely.

In 2007, the New York Times covered a spate of phone scams targeting the elderly. Guthrie, a widower and Purple Heart veteran, was one of them. In the end, he lost all of his savings — including the money he was planning to give to his great-grandkids for college — to telephone scams.

Unfortunately, Guthrie's case isn't unique. Senior citizens lose about $2.9 billion each year (each year!) from financial scams and abuse, according to a 2011 report by MetLife.

Keep Reading Show less
seniors dementia alzheimer's u.k. senior citizens telephone scams scammers telemarketers truecall retirees
Heroes

This 83-year-old spent his life helping others. After a stroke, he found himself in need.

Julius Gaines devoted his entire life to helping others. After a stroke, he needed a little help himself. So Meals on Wheels stepped in.

83-year-old Julius Gaines has always thrown himself into everything he's involved with.

A Berkeley graduate, Julius spent most of his career as a psychologist in the Berkeley school district. In 1982, he pioneered the development of a program to help kids develop healthy ways to process their emotions during difficult times (it had the cheerful acronym WINGS — winning, interacting, noting, growing, smiling).

Keep Reading Show less
community seniors retirement charity volunteering giving back help helping stroke meals on wheels ad council neighbors
Family
True
Ad Council + Meals on Wheels