The long-running Project Visibility, a Boulder County managed cultural-sensitivity training program for those working with the aging LGBTQ community, is now offering virtual sessions and the next one is set for next week.
Project Visibility was developed by Boulder County Area Agency on Aging in 2004 after LGBTQ seniors of the Rainbow Elders — then a social group that later turned into a program within Area Agency on Aging — expressed concerns. They worried that if they needed to enter long-term care, their service providers might not understand their unique needs, according to Michael Chifalo, LGBTQ+ Program Specialist for the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging.
Training was originally designed for assisted living residences, nursing home employees and long-term caregivers, but it has branched out to other senior service providers. Chifalo said the training is for anyone who wants to learn more about the intersection of age and the LGBTQ experience.
“It's really important I think in terms of educating folks about any identity issues,” he said. “Just recognize that that may look different for people on various levels, but especially the impact of the intersectionality of age and ageism with the LGBTQ+ identity.”
The program also educates on how ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion and ability status factor into an individual’s experience, Chifalo said.
Project Visibility traditionally hosts quarterly three-hour general training sessions throughout the year. Additionally, there is a 30-minute self-guided training and private or customized sessions can be requested.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the general training has moved online and has been shortened to 90 minutes. So far, Chifalo is excited about the possible reach with the easily accessed platform.
The last virtual training was in August. Attendance of 40 people was more than double the average attendance for the in-person classes, Chifalo said.
“It's sort of one of the unexpected blessings of the virtual world that we're in now,” said Erica Corson, Elder Rights Program Manager for the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging. “It gives people the accessibility and availability to be able to attend a training that they may not have been able to drive to or take the time out of their day to do before.”
In the trainings, participants will learn about communicating in an inclusive way. It is important for care providers to use the pronouns that their clients identify with, Corson said.
It also is important not to make assumptions about a person’s life when they were younger, she said.
“What we don't want to see is that older adults who are in the LGBTQ+ community have no access to their life story,” Corson said.
Chifalo advised caregivers to ask questions in broad terms. Instead of assuming that a client has children or a traditional marriage, they can ask about who was significant in a person’s life.
There are people in the aging population who are closeted, Corson said. Project Visibility aims to create a safe environment for LGBTQ+ elders whether they are out or not.
Project Visibility’s mission is reflected in its name: to make the invisible seen. Both older adults and LGBTQ individuals are overlooked and it’s a good practice to seek education on these communities, Chifalo said.
“For service providers, it’s important to note that you have LGBTQ folks in your facility,” Chifalo said. “You may not know it because you may not be creating the kind of environment that encourages folks to be out.”
The next Project Visibility general training is from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 18. It will be offered virtually through Microsoft Teams. Free to the public, anyone who wishes to participate can dial into 720-400-7859 or join on their computer or mobile devices via this link.
