{
  "id": 8557259,
  "title": "'People forget we exist': Why older LGBTQ+ community fears losing identity",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/people-forget-we-exist-why-older-lgbtq-community-fears-losing-identity",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-19T23:18:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Health",
    "slug": "bbc-health",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62e04wkj803o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mindy Meleyal, a 75-year-old lesbian, has witnessed the evolution of LGBT rights throughout her life. However, she has noticed that her identity as a member of the older LGBTQ+ community often goes unnoticed, as she is surrounded by poorer health, limited finances, and social isolation. The Centre for Ageing Better's report suggests that this demographic could be forced back into the closet when accessing care, potentially delaying necessary care due to homophobia concerns. Adam Porter, a housing development manager from the LGBT Foundation charity, shares that it's common for older members of the community to hide their identities from carers or in care environments. Porter is excited about the upcoming Kindred House, an LGBTQ+ social housing scheme for over-55s in Manchester, which provides 80 self-contained apartments and a 24/7 care team. The scheme aims to address the challenges faced by older LGBTQ+ people, such as the assumption that they're straight due to their age, the prevalence of homophobia, and the lack of support systems. Norman Goodman, a 75-year-old bisexual man, relies on his \"chosen family\" and friends to help him with daily tasks, but he worries about potential discrimination in formal care settings. The report highlights that older LGBTQ+ people are less likely to have children, more likely to live alone, and less likely to have someone to help them if needed. To combat these issues, similar projects exist in other countries, but the UK has few such initiatives.",
  "summary": "A report suggests older LGBTQ+ people experience more social isolation than their heterosexual peers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "'People forget we exist': Why older LGBTQ+ community fears losing identity",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/people-forget-we-exist-why-older-lgbtq-community-fears-losing-identity-8558395",
        "published": "2026-09-19T23:18:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}