The Center’s Unified Senior Project (CUSP) is a new group for San Diego-area GLBTs aged 50 or older. The group, which includes volunteers and members of other GBLT senior organizations in the area, will hold its first meeting at The Center on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 12:00 noon. The first meeting is an opportunity for local GLBT seniors to give feedback on The Center’s current senior programming, and brainstorm ideas to improve it. CUSP will take the information and use it to implement new programs and activities.

“The purpose of The Center’s United Senior Project is to bring together folks from the diverse senior groups and community throughout the county in order to stay connected with each other, learn about available resources and give the senior community a voice in senior programming at The Center,” said AJ Davis, The Center’s director of public policy, who is overseeing the group until their senior services coordinator position in filled.

So far, CUSP activities will include peer-led social groups for seniors, resources and referrals, health and wellness events and activities and social events.

“The purpose of the CUSP meeting on Nov.18 is to bring in as many seniors as possible so that they can inform us about their priorities, what needs are not currently being addressed and which types of activities, events and groups they would like to see happen at The Center,” Davis said. “Using the information from this meeting, as well as the results of the recently completed senior needs assessment, The Center is designing programming specifically for seniors – so definitely look for coming activities.”

Some of the concerns The Center hopes to address are improving health and longevity, connection to resources and preventing the isolation that too often happens to seniors – particularly GLBT seniors.

Other local GLBT senior organizations in San Diego County include: the Fellowship of Older Gays (FOG), a program for gay men aged 40 and older; Prime Timers of San Diego, a recreational social group for gay and bisexual men; Proud Active Lesbian Seniors (PALS), a community and social group for lesbian seniors in North and South Counties; and Seniors Active in a Gay Environment (SAGE), a social group open to all GLBTs aged 21 and over.

Members of several of these organizations are planning to participate. Davis said CUSP is an opportunity for these various groups to network, plan events and possibly collaborate.