“To me, it was just so weird just to hear myself just finally say so. I came out to me,” said 90-year-old Richard Rollin Gartner.
AUSTIN, Texas — This Pride Month, KVUE is bringing you stories from members of the Central Texas LGBTQIA+ community.
Within this community, one group can sometimes be forgotten, and one local organization is working hard to make sure queer elderly residents are not overlooked.
It’s an age of increasing acceptance, but this wasn’t always the case.
“I never heard the word homosexual till I was a junior in college,” said Richard Rollin Gartner.
Gartner is a performer, a family guy and a gay man. The 90-year-old spent his time coming into his sexuality as a performer across the Lone Star State, spending more than three decades on stages all over, finding the strength to begin to accept who he is.
“You’re living in a whole group with a group of people all the time, and half of them are gay,” said Gartner. “To me, it was just so weird just to hear myself just finally say so. I came out to me.”
Now, Gartner is in his second phase of life, and with the help of a local program in Austin, there is no lapse in exploration, care and connection.
“I woke up one day and was just lying in bed, and I said, ‘You know, I don’t have a peer group.’ And it’s because my life had been very full of younger people all the time,” said Gartner.
It’s called Rainbow Connections and is a part of Family Eldercare, a group aimed at helping older adults.
“The stigma of aging is particularly harsh. Our community historically has been focused on youth strength,” said Dr. Aaron Alarcon.
Dr. Alarcon is the CEO of Family Eldercare.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve always had a very special place in my heart for older adults,” said Dr. Alarcon.
Rainbow Connections makes sure elders in the LGBTQIA+ community aren’t left in the dark, a problem Alarcon says can be common across the nation.
“According to studies, the isolation among LGBTQ plus seniors is twice more intense,” said Dr. Alarcon.
For Gartner, the program has become a safe haven, and he wants to let others know this type of support is long lasting.
“If I had one word to tell anybody about what life really is. I would have to sing it,” said Gartner. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. So love. That’s the word,” he sang.
Gartner is also a part of Family Eldercare’s housing program for older adults. He said this wraparound care is what he needs as he grows more well-seasoned, as he would say.
If you or anyone you know would like to get involved or need the services from Rainbow Connections, visit the organization’s website.
Original News Source
Click here for Superior HOA Management