A new state-funded program will help older Illinoisans feel more comfortable and more confident they can openly and safely be who they are, at a time when violence and abuse are growing.
OUTSafe: The LGBTQ+ Older Adult Violence Prevention Training Program is a partnership between the state and agencies serving seniors across Illinois to extend a warmer welcome to LGBTQ+ seniors by helping service providers better understand and meet their needs as they age.
They point to examples like one central Illinois man, who struggled as he moved into a long-term care facility.
“When he moved into that community, he had to go back in the closet for fear of retaliation or discrimination,” said my colleague, Scott Linde, one of the OUTSafe training program’s developers. “And he lived there for six years as a straight man. And thank goodness his daughter bought a duplex and she let him move in on the other side. So he escaped that.”
He’s far from alone.
The U.S. Department of Justice reports hate crimes based on sexual orientation in Illinois increased by almost seven times from 2020 to 2022, and hate crimes based on gender identity increased by more than four times during that period. Nearly 5% of Illinois’ population is LGBTQ+, but exact numbers on the senior population is unclear because many fear they will be treated differently as they leave their homes for assisted care. Emotional abuse, financial exploitation and physical abuse are among the most common concerns.
OUTSafe aims to take the issue head on. The program was developed by our organization, AgeLinc, the Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland serving central Illinois, and a number of partners who serve LGBTQ+ seniors. A state grant through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority was championed by state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield.
OUTSafe offers free competency and sensitivity training to law enforcement, health care, social service and other providers who engage with LGBTQ+ seniors. They learn about the most appropriate way to address terms and language unique to the community, and how to provide assurances these older adults will be safe, supported and respected when they are seeking help.
The training is intended to be an introductory course on violence prevention and cultural competency, and we are reaching out statewide now to agencies that might be interested in helping us train hundreds of workers in the coming months.
Our goal is simple, because we know embracing and supporting LGBTQ+ seniors is easier today than in the past. But we must be clear: It might be easier, yet it is not easy. They have very understandable fear and anxiety about what comes next when they are out.
We hope the training helps raise public awareness of the unique needs of LGBTQ+ seniors, so they no longer have to feel victimized or invisible like the central Illinois man who was part of our local PrideLinc group before he felt pressured to be someone he is not. We cannot sit silently any longer.
We encourage anyone interested in our training to learn more at: https://agelinc.org/lgbt-support/.
• Carolyn Austin is CEO of AgeLinc (Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland) in Springfield.