New Report Sheds Light on Caregiving in Gay Community; Caregiving Report to be Released at New York Press Conf Friday

6/16/2004

From: Roberta Sklar (NYC) 917-704-6358 Sheri Lunn (National) 202-641-5592, both of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

News Advisory:

-- "Caregiving Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender New Yorkers" report to be released at SAGE Conference "Expanding the Family Portrait: Gays and Lesbians Growing Older"

WHAT: Press Conference: Release of new report Caregiving Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender New Yorkers by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, the Fordham University School of Social Service, and Pride Senior Network at the SAGE National Conference on Aging in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Communities.

SPEAKERS: Lois Aronstein, State Director of the AARP New York State Office; Sean Cahill, Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute; Marjorie Cantor, report co-author; Professor Emeritus, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service; Terry Kaelber, Executive Director, SAGE, Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders; Community Members speak from personal experience.

WHEN: Friday, June 18, 12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m.

WHERE: New York University, 60 Washington Square South, Room 901, New York, N.Y.

WHY: There is a continuing lack of information about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in all areas of life. Gay elders are especially understudied, while at the same time ageism is rampant in our culture. This report, Caregiving Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender New Yorkers, is a critical first step in understanding gay elders, their caregiving needs, who cares for them, as well as gay caregivers. The ever- increasing population of elders in the U.S. includes the baby- boomer generation, with an estimated five to ten percent of that generation identifying as LGBT. Among the critical findings, few caregivers reported turning to LGBT support systems for assistance, underscoring the need for greater outreach to and support for caregivers.

Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force was the first national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organization and remains the movement's leading voice for freedom, justice, and equality. We work to build the grassroots political strength of our community by training state and local activists and leaders, and organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation. Our Policy Institute, the community's premiere think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a world that respects and makes visible the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. Headquartered in Washington, DC, we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Cambridge