Sussex Pride Aging is starting a new friendly visitor program, and we need your help!
The Friendly Visitor Program is a volunteer-led initiative designed to combat social isolation and foster intergenerational or peer-to-peer connections within the LGBTQ+ community. While many seniors face loneliness, LGBTQ+ elders are twice as likely to live alone and less likely to have children or traditional family support systems. This program bridges that gap by matching volunteers with seniors for regular social visits, providing not just company, but a shared sense of identity and history.
Why It Matters: The LGBTQ+ Context
For many LGBTQ+ seniors, “found family” has been a lifelong necessity. A Friendly Visitor program honors this by:
- Affirming Identity: Providing a safe space where seniors don’t have to “re-closet” themselves to receive care.
- Shared History: Connecting generations to share stories of activism, struggle, and progress.
- Monitoring Well-being: Acting as a second set of eyes to ensure the senior is safe, healthy, and respected in their living environment.
Do you know an LGBTQ+ older adult who would benefit from a friendly visit?
If you or someone you know know would benefit from a weekly check in, please let us know. Friendly visits can be a phone call, a zoom, or a visit, depending on what works best. We are especially interested in connecting with LGBTQ+ older adults who are homebound or have limited mobility, but all LGBTQ+ Older Adults are welcome. If you need a friendly visitor, please drop an email to friendlyvisitor@sussexpride.org, or call our office number at: (302) 265-4165.
Sussex Pride Aging
Sussex Pride Aging is a dedicated initiative within the Sussex Pride organization specifically designed to address the unique social, health, and advocacy needs of LGBTQ+ older adults.
- Find us on the web at: sussexpride.org/aging
- Find us on instagram at: instagram.com/sussexprideaging
- Find us on facebook at: facebook.com/sussexprideaging
- Join the Delaware LGBTQ+ Aging Private Facebook Group