Equity & Healthy Aging Initiative

Making the Invisible Visible

A PhotoVoice Project by Black/African Elders in Maine

Embracing Maine’s Diversity

The Maine Council on Aging is committed to intentionally including the needs of diverse elders in our advocacy and policy efforts, and in helping our members build stronger relationships with communities of diverse elders. This is why we have launched the Equity & Healthy Aging Initiative.

Maine’s racial and ethnic diversity is growing! Since 2010, Maine’s population of people identifying as black or African American rose by more than 60%, those identifying as Hispanic rose by more than 55%, those identifying as Asian increased by almost 25%, and the percentage of bi-racial people tripled. Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census This means Maine’s population of older people is growing more diverse too.

For the first time in the 2020 census, same-sex couples could identify another member of their household as a same-sex husband/wife/spouse or unmarried partner. For the first time ever, we can now say that 5% of Maine’s married or cohabitating households are same-sex. Collecting this data offers us a place to start related to demographics, but our census instrument still leaves too many LGBTQ+ people out. We stand with national advocacy groups calling for the Census to include questions about sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Many, if not most, older adults of diverse identities have experienced a lifetime of systemic discrimination and prejudice. Due to their race, ethnicity, disability, immigration status, socioeconomic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, education and/or occupation, many people have lacked access to social institutions that provide critical security in later life, such as citizenship and employment. And for LGBT older adults, many have been experienced rejection by family and until 2015, they did not have federal protections afforded through marriage.”

From Serving Diverse Elders: Strategies for Meaningful Inclusion in Service Planning and Delivery p11.

This Equity & Healthy Aging initiative seeks to help aging services providers and community volunteer organizations understand the social health needs of diverse older people in Maine, the barriers diverse older people face in meeting these needs, and to integrate these needs into the Maine Council on Aging’s network of advocacy efforts. With the support of the Maine Health Access Foundation and an engaged group of members and allies, the initiative is engaging with organizations and older adults in diverse communities to hear their stories of strength and challenge and to expand relationships with aging service providers and community organizations.

Passamaquoddy tribe at the traditional tribal inauguration ceremony to honor its leaders in an event held at Sipayik, the tribe’s reservation at Pleasant Point in Perry, 2015. Photo Credit: LESLIE BOWMAN/THE WORKING WATERFRONT

Looking to take a deeper dive into equity and healthy aging?

Below are resources, tools and trainings that could be helpful in your equity and healthy aging efforts.

General Resources

Serving Diverse Elders: Strategies for Meaningful Inclusion in Service Planning and Delivery

COVID-19 Pandemic: Exacerbating Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Long-Term Services and Supports – PubMed (nih.gov)

Ideal Health Care System: Perspectives Older Black & Latinx Adults | Commonwealth Fund

American Psychological Association: Multicultural Aging Resource Guide

U.S. Administration on Aging: Toolkit for Serving Diverse Communities

Diverse Elders Coalition

Justice in Aging: Resource Library

Justice in Aging: Fighting Senior Poverty through Law: Advancing Equity Framework

Center for Story-Based Advocacy & 4^th Box Resources

AARP International: Building Equity Together

AARP International: Building Equity in Longevity

CMS Office of Minority Health: The CMS Equity Plan for Improving Quality in Medicare: Progress Report

Older Adults’ Equity Collaborative (OAEC) Resource Library

Addressing Systemic Racism in Nursing Homes: A Time for Action – Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

Fact Sheet: Aging in the United States

Developing Culturally Responsive Approaches to Serving Diverse Populations: A Resource Guide for Community-Based Organization

LGTBQ+ Basics: 10 Things Your Queer Patient Wishes You Knew: Steps for creating a safe space in your practice

Racial Equity Data Road Map

Dawn Hunter and Betsy Lawton, Network for Public Health Law: Racism as a Public Health Crisis—Perspectives on Healthy Aging, April 2022.

Resources Focused on LGBTQ Older Adult Communities

SAGE: Long Term

Care Equity Index (LEI)

SAGE Guidebooks:

Trans-Inclusivity in Alzheimer’s Care with the Human Rights Campaign:
Blog | Alzheimer’s Association

LGBTQ Community Dementia Resources (alz.org)

LGBTQ+ seniors have seen lifelong discrimination. Doctors can help. | American Medical Association (ama-assn.org)

Ready, Set, Go—A Guide for Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity by National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center:
Ready, Set, Go! Guidelines and Tips For Collecting Patient Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) – 2022 Update » LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center

Local Community Advocacy: Advocating for the Needs of LGBT Older Adult Receiving Aging Services

LGBTQ Caregiver Center

Wellness with Pride; Aging with Pride

Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource Guide for the Transgender Community

How to Survive on This Shore: Photographs & Interviews with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults

Resources Focused on Gender

Economic Security of Older Women in Maine Data Report – January 2022

Policy Matters: Women and Aging Conversation – June 7, 2022

Improving Inclusivity through Data and Accessibility Innovations

US DHHS CDC & Office of Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index Tool: Minority Health SVI

Alzheimer’s & Healthy Aging: Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging

Us Against Alzheimer’s – Community Data to Drive Health Equity in Alzheimer’s

CMS Office of Minority Health: Mapping U.S. Medicare Disparities

Data Mapping Example: Central Indiana Senior Fund Service Area: SAVI Populations Profiles Dashboard

ACL Administration for Community Living: New Data Chartbooks for National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants

Website Accessibility

Web Accessibility for Newbies by Karina Chow (7/15/2021): Presentation

Regional + State Resources

Diversity in Hiring Coalition: Resources

Endowment for Health: Race and Equity Series in New Hampshire

Racial Equity Data Road Map: Data as a Tool to Addressing Structural Racism (MA)

More Diverse and Older: Demographic Implications for New York’s Health Care System

EqualityMaine/SAGEMaine: Resources for LGBT Older Adults
SAGE Maine is an affiliate of SAGE USA, a national services and advocacy organization for older LGBTQ+ adults. SAGE Maine’s primary focus is to support and advocate on behalf of the older adults in our community.

Immigrant Resouces Council of Maine
The mission of Immigrant Resource Center Of Maine is to support refugee and immigrant communities by offering culturally and linguistically sensitive services to promote a healthy and equitable Maine.

Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition
The Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC) is the convener of a unique, statewide network of 77 organizations, a majority of which are led by people of color – representing diverse ethnic communities across our state.

MaineTransNet
MaineTransNet is a community based organization led by transgender people for transgender people. We provide peer-to-peer support groups, social and community events, advocacy for the transgender community across Maine, and transgender cultural competency training for medical, mental health, and social service providers.

Additional Learning Opportunities

Racial Equity Data Road Map: Data as a Tool Toward Eliminating Structural Racism
Online Training Module Hosted by New England Public Health Training Center
Presentation: Racial Equity Data Road Map: Data as a Tool Towards Eliminating Structural Racism
Presentation materials:
Racial Equity Data Road Map
Groundwater Approach from the Racial Equity Institute
Critical Race Theory, Race Equity, and Public Health: Toward Antiracism Praxis

Serving Everyone: Building Diversity, Equity & Inclusion into Aging Services
Webinar Hosted by the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging
From volunteer community groups, to formal aging services and healthcare providers, we all want to make sure everyone who needs help can get it. However, sometimes the systems we build unintentionally exclude the very people we want to help. This webinar was the start of a conversation about strategies we can use to make sure our aging services systems are inclusive and equitable.
Click here for the presentation and materials

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice
Session Hosted by the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging at the Bias Is Getting Old TSLCA Summit
Presentation by Kelly Laflamme, MPA, Consultant and Mary Lou Ciolfi, JD, MS, Program Manager, University of Maine Center on Aging
Click here for the presentation
Click here for the presentation materials

How Does Bias Prevent Us From Building Services That Work for All Older People?
Session Hosted by the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging at the Bias Is Getting Old TSLCA Summit
Presentation by Jennifer Rabalais, MA Co-Director, Center on Aging and Community Living, University of New Hampshire
Click here for the presentation
Click here for the presentation materials

Want to join us in our efforts to promote equity + healthy aging?

Contact Kathy Vezina, Project Manager at kvezina@mainecouncilonaging.org
to learn more about opportunities to get involved.