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‘Gen Silent’ looks at LGBT seniors

“Gen Silent” is a groundbreaking documentary about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender older people going back into the closet to survive the care system.

  Sponsored and presented by local elder care specialists Colin Turek and Genevieve Ladha of Sonoma Homecare, the film will be shown at Vintage House senior center, 264 First St. E., on Friday, Dec. 2, at 6:30 p.m.  

  A discussion panel will follow the film.

  “This is an important film and we are lucky to have it here,” said Turek. “It’s both a sad and joyful tribute to survival.” 

  Fearing abuse in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other institutional settings, LGBT elders are being forced to silence their truth. Telling the stories of six LGBT seniors from the Boston area, “Gen Silent” highlights the desperation and isolation that LGBT seniors experience in long-term health-care situations, forcing many to go back into the closet.

  “Gen Silent” brings these issues into the open for the first time. The film shows the wide range in quality of paid caregivers – from those who are specifically trained to make LGBT seniors feel safe, to the other end of the spectrum, where LGBT elders face discrimination, neglect or abuse. “Who would have expected caregivers to try to religiously convert these elders at their bedside,” said filmmaker Stu Maddox.

The event is co-sponsored by Vintage House and Spectrum.