When people think about LGBTQ+ rights, they tend to think about the realities young people face, and rightfully so. However, it's important not to disregard seniors. According to Canada's demographics, the population of people 65 plus is almost bigger than the population of people 25 and under. With 10% to 15% of the population being LGBT, we know there are LGBT seniors who are overlooked, who are invisible.
Unfortunately, the Aging Gayfully program hasn't had funding for a number of years now. The federal government provides very little funding for awareness and education programming and projects for seniors. However, a great deal of work needs to be done. Unfortunately, the population is invisible because many seniors are in the closet. Retirement homes and other senior communities are places where LGBT-phobia is still very present—and not just between seniors. There is a failure among stakeholder communities to prevent homophobia and transphobia and to respond to problems. It is a widespread issue, and unfortunately, resources to make these places more inclusive are very scarce.
It is very important to remember that seniors need to be taken into account as well.