Thank you for being part of MASWA in 2018!. It was another great year for our organization and the communities we serve. The annual Holiday Party was a fun way to wrap up the year and we enjoyed seeing so many members join in the festivities.
We will start off 2019 with our first membership meeting of the New Year on Thursday,
January 24th at 2:20 pm at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley. There will be no charge for visitors attending and we would like everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to introduce a friend or colleague to MASWA.
All members who bring a guest will be put into a drawing for a $25 Visa Gift Card! We look forward to seeing you there.
Thanks again for being part of MASWA. Have a very Happy Holiday Season. We look forward to seeing in 2019!
To Improve the Quality of Life of LGBT People As They Age
Presented by Marsha Berry, MA, CAEd
Whether you know it or not, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults are your clients or residents. Learn the unique issues facing these populations and how they affect their willingness to seek out services. This session will outline LGBT aging, describe the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities, present findings from a recent needs assessment, and identify actions you can take to make your practice more LGBT culturally competent.
Marsha received her Master's in Education from Eastern Michigan University. She has been a public school teacher working with special needs students and an educator for health related nonprofit organizations. Most recently she managed education programs for the Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota. Currently she is the Education Director for Training to Serve, the MN based nonprofit that provides education, tools and resources to improve the quality of life of LGBT people as they age.
At the end of this session participants will be able to:
1. Explain biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression
2. Trace the historical experiences that shape LGBT older adults' lives
3. Describe the unique barriers faced by LGBT older adults
4. Identify opportunities to support welcoming services for LGBT older adults
It was so good to see so many of you at the MASWA Holiday Party! As I looked around the room, I saw many familiar faces and was also very happy to see so many new people as well. For those of you that brought guests, thank you! I hope that we have more guests and many new members in January to help us kick off the new year. Many thanks to Elle and Sue, our Membership Chairs, for all of their hard work in bringing us all together. And... how about those prizes?
The holidays can be really special, but also overwhelming for some. As we look to the holidays and the new year, I hope you all take some extra time and find your own peace and happiness. I look forward to seeing all of you at the January membership meeting!
