Mary O’Donoghue: Executive Director, Southern Arizona Senior Pride
Ames Meeks: Program Manager, Southern Arizona Senior Pride
Monday, August 31st, 2026: 3:00 – 4:00 pm, Koffler Great Room at ASA and Zoom
Southern Arizona Senior Pride’s Executive Director, Mary O’Donoghue, and Program Manager, Ames Meeks explore the unique challenges older LGBTQ+ adults face and the practical solutions that support and uplift them despite challenges. The talk examines how a lifetime shaped by stigma, secrecy, and legal discrimination influences trust in institutions, reliance on chosen-family networks, and impacts needs in later life. Ongoing and common challenges, such as prejudice, caregiving gaps, and unfriendly service environments, create significant barriers and prevent healthy aging. Cultivating meaningful community connections can reduce loneliness, lower stress and depression, and improve quality of life for older LGBTQ+ adults, leading to greater sense of belonging, resilience, and dignity as they age. Southern Arizona Senior Pride offers this, along with practical solutions, services, and community programs designed to welcome and support LGBTQ+ elders.