Creating Sensitive Loneliness Strategies for the Older LGBTQ+ Community

In 2018, the Government showed its commitment to tackling adult loneliness by launching the UK’s first Loneliness Strategy and appointing a Minister for Loneliness. People aged over 55 are at greater risk of loneliness than the rest of society, and those in the LGBTQ+ community are even more vulnerable to loneliness, according to Stonewall.

Keith Hargreaves, Community Development Manager, SAGE, Yorkshire MESMAC Leeds spent most of his career in South East Asia working with the United Nations Development Programme managing community engagement projects. He now works with Yorkshire MESMAC in Leeds supporting older members of the LGBTQ+ community through the Sage project.

The Sage project is a Leeds-based partnership between Yorkshire MESMAC and AgeUK helping to support older adults in the LGBTQ+ community. Sage advocates and networks on behalf of the community, working to combat loneliness and isolation for its members.

In this video, Keith explores the impacts of loneliness within the older LGBTQ+ community. He shares how Sage is working both within the community and beyond to influence behaviours and help combat loneliness.

LGBTQ+ people over the age of 55 are vulnerable to loneliness as they are more likely to live alone and have lower levels of contact with relatives, according to Stonewall. Keith Hargreaves, Community Development Manager, SAGE, Yorkshire MESMAC Leeds shared with us ways organisations can work in partnership to support individuals and help create networks that reduce loneliness.