By Brittany Wehner
A local organization for LGBT elders and a local hospital will partner for a new series of programs.
The LGBT Elder Initiative and Jefferson Health are collaborating to launch a program series later this year focusing on LGBT elder health.
The series will focus on different health issues impacting older LGBT adults and will be presented monthly.
“We’re still in the development stages right now,” said David Griffith, director of programs and outreach for LGBTEI. “We just last week sent out a survey to get some feedback on which health issues we should focus on. Once we have this feedback, we’ll start scheduling program topics and speakers.”
The LGBT Elder Initiative, which was founded in 2010, works to meet the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elders in the Delaware Valley area.
The initiative advocates for services and resources to meet the needs of LGBT elders through information, education and referrals.
The collaboration will work with Jefferson geriatricians to develop content for the series, along with Jefferson
doctors and residents who will present the content.
The series will include presentations, an open discussion and a Q&A session, according to Griffith.
A survey is currently being conducted to gather data for the series, focusing on specific health issues including various cancers, diabetes, stroke prevention, anxiety and depression, obesity and healthy weight loss, and sexual health. Additional health issues of interest are on the survey.
The program series is slated to start in March.
Visit http://bit.ly/2mPPM7L to complete the survey.