LGBTQIA+ older adults face unique social, economic and health challenges. Organizations and individuals are working to address loneliness and access to competent, affirming healthcare and assisted living communities. We shine a light on what many in the Stonewall Generation have had to endure and fight for in the hopes of effecting positive community change in the ongoing pursuit of equality.
WXXI News Coverage of Aging Together In NY News Stories & Talk Shows On-Demand
Public media stations across New York state are collaborating on a multi-platform project addressing social isolation among older adults through news coverage, shared personal stories, modeling healthy relationships, building community and providing resources for seniors that reduce isolation and build resiliency. Funding is provided in part by the New York State Education Department with collaboration from the NYS Office of the Aging. Listen to the stories and talk show podcasts on-demand.
Local WXXI News Coverage: Read & Listen to stories on-demand here
Reframing Aging: A local alliance wants to change people’s view of older adults (LISTEN • 5:17) from February 12, 2024. The Monroe County Aging Alliance is in the midst of a yearlong effort to change attitudes and perceptions of older adults.
New York Public News Network Audit finds state still has work to do to address nursing home pandemic issues (LISTEN • 3:57) from December 20, 2023 New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said a follow-up audit to a 2022 report by his office finds the state health department has made some improvements since the height of COVID-19, when thousands of elderly people died in the nursing homes. 
Local News For family caregivers, extra costs of tending to loved ones exact toll (LISTEN • 4:55) November 27, 2023 Research shows that providing uncompensated care for a parent, sibling or other close relative or friend can be a drain on one’s bank account.
Local News– Online resource Trualta helps fill knowledge gaps for family caregivers from November 22, 2023 For anyone thrust into a caregiver role, it can feel like drowning, having to quickly get up to speed on medications, bills, legal paperwork, assess care options — the fit, the quality and the cost. An online resource called Trualta provides free web-based training, tips and other resources.
Local News – AARP leads discussion about challenges for Rochester’s rapidly growing 65+ population from September 28, 2023 The study says that Rochester has the second-highest rate of older adult poverty of any county or city in the state, with 22% of its 65+ population living below the poverty line.
Local News– Avoiding loneliness is a challenge for some older adults living on their own May 17, 2023 About a third of people between the ages of 50 and 80 say they experience loneliness. It poses serious physical and emotional health risks. In this part of a series exploring social isolation, Jo-Ann Spring of Webster finds ways to cope. LISTEN • 4:09
Local News ‘I needed to be around people’: She didn’t want to be lonely as she aged. Here’s what she did from May 16, 2023 When her husband got dementia, Liz Sabo realized she needed to find connections with other adults. Here’s how she changed her life. LISTEN • 5:43
Local News-FDA approves first RSV vaccine for older adults from May 5, 2023. The FDA approved GSK’s vaccine, Arexvy, on Wednesday for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in people 60 and older.
Local News–This home health care agency is working with Black church leaders to help older adults from April 19, 2023.The home health aid agency HCR Cares has launched a new initiative to get more Black families in Rochester the at-home care they need for their senior members. LISTEN • 1:36
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand outlines Master Plan on Aging during St. Regis Mohawk Tribe visit from April 13, 2023. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe recently to outline a five-point Master Plan on Aging her office is developing. LISTEN • 3:47
Connections with Evan Dawson Live Talk Show Podcasts from WXXI News
December 20, 2023 Podcast: What should we know about diagnosis and symptoms for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
December 20, 2023 Podcast: Caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
December 19, 2023 Podcast: Addressing higher rates of suicide among older men
October 12, 2023 Podcast: How can the arts impact our lives as we age?
May 19, 2023 Podcast: Aging Together: Thomas Connors, Jr. and Nicholas Verzella on their 90-year friendship
May 15, 2023 Podcast: Aging Together: Discussing one approach to aging in place
May 15, 2023 Podcast: Aging Together: Supporting older adults as they experience different factors of aging
September 16, 2022 Podcast: Author John Leland on his book, “Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old”
This program is part of The Aging Together In New York, an initiative funded by the New York State Education Department that has called on NYS public media organizations to create a multi-platform project to help address mental health and addiction throughout the state. The project includes broadcast offerings, online content, and special events, like this screening. The NYS stations will also work to create comprehensive digital teaching tools, online learning, and essential instructional content.
The Eternal Memory
Screening/discusssion on Thursday, September 7, 2023 at 7:15 p.m. at The Little Theatre
WXXI is pleased to be a community partner for the presentation of this ONE TAKE DOC film that shares an epic love story that transcends time and memory in the face of Alzheimer’s. See the Trailer
PROGRAMS THAT ALREADY AIRED:
Young at Heart: Empowering Older Adults Statewide Virtual Screening Event On-Demand
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 7 p.m. online
WXXI and the other NYS stations hosted a virtual screening of Young@Heart with subject-area experts as they explore strategies for combatting senior isolation in conversation with members of the Young@Heart Chorus.
Special programming includes:
Connections with Evan Dawson
Monday, May 15, 2023 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on WXXI News/NPR
In our first hour, a special broadcast previously recorded at St. Johns in Rochester. During this conversation in front of a live audience, a panel of experts explores issues important to older adults and those who care for them. The discussion includes points about social isolation, maintaining friendships, caregiving, and how to reconcile the different factors of aging. Click here to listen to the hour.
Then in our second hour, we continue our conversation about aging by exploring one option for caregiving: aging in place. Brothers Mark and Tom McDermott founded Touching Hearts at Home in 2007 — three years after their mother was diagnosed with cancer. They say during her illness, they came to understand the importance of having qualified compassionate caregivers in her home. Click here to listen to the hour.
Young @ Heart’s 40th Anniversary Show
Monday, May 15, 2023 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
What started out in 1982 at a Western Massachusetts elderly housing project to joyfully pass the time instead of passing before your time, The Young@Heart Chorus developed into a stereotype-defying, generation-crossing musical extravaganza. Join the world’s “oldest” rock group for a celebration of their 40th anniversary live on stage.
Show Must Go On! On-Demand
Aired Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 7 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Four women who prove it is never too late to reinvent yourself.
Young @ Heart: Strong in Song On-Demand (See The Young @ Heart Youtube Channel)
Aired Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Meet the world’s oldest rockers: The Young@Heart Chorus! The Young@Heart Chorus continues to prove it’s “possible to grow old without growing boring.”
Lives Well Lived Watch the Trailer
Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 5 p.m. on WXXI-TV
This show celebrates the wisdom of people 75-100, and their insights for living. Click here for the trailer.
Art + Medicine: Healthy Aging On-Demand
Aired Sunday, May 21 at 7 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Exploring healthy aging with Drs. Jon Hallberg and Tseganesh Selameab through the 4M’s framework of mobility, mentation, medication and what matters to older adults, all with an artistic lens.
Music for Life: The Story of New Horizons (Watch the Trailer)
Aired Sunday, May 21 at 11 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Learn more about this music program for senior musicians whose skills range from novice to seasoned.
Aging Matters: Aging with Pride On-Demand
Aired Friday, June 16, 2023 at 8:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV
New York has the fourth-largest population of older adults in the United States, with 3.2 million individuals – about 16 percent of the population – over 65. The state’s population of those over the age of 60 is projected to grow to 5.3 million by 2030 with those over 80 years of age exceeding 1.2 million.
WXXI joins all nine public television stations throughout New York in the Aging Together in New York initiative. Stations will continue to examine the issue and share critical resources to combat social isolation and loneliness as the effort continues until the end of the year.
Special thanks to our sponsors: Lifespan of Greater Rochester Inc., St. John’s, and OASIS Rochester
Scattering CJ On-Demand
Grieving mom, Hallie Twomey, put a call out on Facebook after losing her veteran son, CJ, to suicide. Her request: To honor her son’s memory by scattering his ashes in as many amazing places as possible. The request went viral. A global community formed to scatter CJ’s ashes in thousands of locations worldwide, helping Hallie find the courage to become a powerful voice in the fight against suicide. (Available on-demand through 8/27/25) Also on-demand in a Spanish Captioned Version
The American Buffalo: Into the Storm • WXXI-TV
This Ken Burns film traces the near demise – and ultimate return – of the U.S. national mammal while examining the species’ connection to indigenous communities and the land.
The American Buffalo: Into the Storm, part two of two, airs Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the PBS app.
For untold generations, America’s national mammal sustained the lives of Native people, whose cultures were intertwined with the animal. Newcomers to the continent bring a different view of the natural world, and the buffalo are driven to the brink of extinction.
Illustration “The Last of the Buffalo” by Albert Bierstadt, 1888 l Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.
Facing Suicide On-Demand
FACING SUICIDE combines the poignant personal stories of people impacted by suicide with profiles of scientists at the forefront of research to reveal new insights into one of America’s most pressing mental health crises. The documentary shines a light on this difficult topic can destigmatize suicide while revealing that there is help as well as hope for those at risk and their loved ones. Available on-demand through 9/12/2026.
My Ascension • WXXI-TV
A suicide attempt left 16-year-old varsity cheerleader, Emma Benoit, paralyzed, but propelled her on a mission to use her painful experience to help other young people find hope and stay alive.
My Ascension airs Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 11 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.
As Emma navigates the challenges of her physical and mental health recovery, she works to shine more light on the fact that 20 young people die every day by suicide in the in the United States.
This program is presented as part of Dialogue on Disability, a partnership between WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies – in conjunction with the Herman and Margaret Schwartz Community Series. Dialogue on Disability is supported by the Fred L. Emerson Foundation with additional support from The Golisano Foundation. The weeklong initiative runs January 13-19, 2025
WXXI and Al Sigl have been hosting Dialogue on Disability since 2005. In 2014, with the support of businessman and philanthropist Tom Golisano and the Golisano Foundation, Move to Include™ was formed. This initiative enables WXXI to present and develop programming that promotes inclusion year round.
WXXI News Coverage of Student Mental Health Stories & Talk Shows On-Demand
Public media stations across New York State are focusing on the student mental health with a year-long multi-platform campaign, including news coverage. Funding for this program is provided in part by the New York State Education Department. Listen to the stories and talk show podcasts on-demand.
Local WXXI News Coverage: Read & Listen to stories on-demand here
Local News: Gov. Hochul’s upcoming state budget addresses student mental health matters. Local leaders respond from January 9, 2024 Gov. Kathy Hochul says efforts to improve youth mental health will be a priority in her upcoming New York state budget proposal.
Local News-R-Centers offer teen mental health support through winter break, from December 26, 2023. Some recreation centers in Rochester have been bolstered with more mental health supports for teens and their families — the winter school break will offer more opportunities for students to access those services.
Local News-URMC debuts teen drama therapy performance at OFC Creations from October 27, 2023 Drama therapy might not be widely known or practiced, but a theater production this weekend showcases the fusion of art and healing. LISTEN • 4:11
Local News-Students face mental health care barriers. A proposed law might help, from October 4, 2023. A lack of mental health services at schools and colleges is a national issue that hits home in Western New York, but proposed recommendations could remove obstacles. LISTEN • 4:17
Local News-Local institutions work to meet ‘profound and startling’ demand for teen mental health services, from October 2, 2023. Although progress is being made toward addressing teen mental health, experts say there’s still more that needs to be done to meet the demand for resources. A new facility that’s in the works aims to help do that.
Local News-Meet the game-changers leading a mental health movement among student-athletes, from September 29, 2023. A club at Nazareth is one of nearly 1,400 Morgan’s Message ambassador programs at colleges and high schools around the country. These programs are a place where students lead conversations about mental health. LISTEN • 7:41
New York Public News Network-New York state leaders say they are making gains on addressing teen mental health, from September 27, 2023. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature invested $1 billion into mental health services in the current state budget. Part of that money is earmarked for services specifically for teenagers. LISTEN • 3:19
Local News RCSD’s Ruth Turner leads restorative approaches to conflict with new H.U.B., from September 25, 2023There’s a new space for resolving conflicts and interrupting cycles of violence at the Rochester City School District. LISTEN • 1:28
Local News-Greece joins school districts suing social media giants over alleged harms to children from September 20, 2023.Districts allege social media apps are to blame for student struggles with mental health and discipline problems that divert resources from education. LISTEN • 1:25
Local News-Nazareth University expands mental wellness programs with $300,000 federal grant from September 19, 2023. Students and staff at Nazareth University will see an expansion of mental health outreach starting this fall. LISTEN • 1:14
Local News-Housing instability hurts Rochester students’ academic performance, says report from August 24, 2023. The Children’s Agenda is calling on the state to enact policies and programs to help families find a stable place to live.
Local News-Kids coping with trauma and violence can start finding help at some city recreation centers from July 12, 2023. In an effort to boost the emotional health of Rochester’s children, the city is launching a one-year pilot program at its recreation centers.
Local News-Greece Athena High School pilots a counseling app for student mental wellness, from May 29, 2023. The Greece Central School District is rolling out a pilot program to see if a phone app could improve student mental health. LISTEN • 1:18
Local News-State budget allots funding for youth mental health, from May 17, 2023. May is Mental Health Awareness month and the New York state budget includes $1 billion toward transforming the state’s mental health care — $30 million of that is focused on children. LISTEN • 1:34 (via WRVO)
Local News-Conference in Rochester provides resources for girls ages 10 to 16 from April 17, 2023. A mother-daughter conference in Rochester over the weekend was designed to help girls learn more about mental and emotional health supports available to them.
Local News-Survey: Parents say kids lack mental health services in Monroe County schools from March 22, 2023. The Children’s Agenda is calling for robust solutions to what they say is a mental health crisis among children and teens – including improving access to care in schools. LISTEN • 1:23
Local News-Hochul proposes $1 billion to boost statewide mental health services in wake of pandemic from March 17, 2023Gov. Kathy Hochul is pushing for $1 billion worth of mental health services across New York state, with a strong focus on addressing the needs of children and teens. LISTEN • 1:28
Local News- How a new Rochester youth center came to be named for the Obamas from January 9, 2023. Teen Empowerment has landed a major donor for its new center. And his contribution came with an unusual request. LISTEN • 4:54
Local News- College students need more mental health resources, speakers stress at state hearing from December 1, 2022. State lawmakers gathered this week for a public hearing on college students’ mental health needs ahead of the upcoming 2023 legislative session. LISTEN • 1:15
Local NewsRCSD partners with the University of Rochester to support students’ mental health needs from September 28, 2022 The University of Rochester and the Rochester City School District are partnering again, this time to provide mental health training to school staff.
Aired New York Now Programs:
New York NOW
Saturday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV Repeats 9/24 at 5 a.m. Watch On-Demand
New York NOW takes a look at mental health support in afterschool programs in one of the program segments
New York NOW
Saturday, September 30 at 6:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV Repeats 10/1 at 5 a.m. Watch On-demand
The team dive into the mental health crisis in New York, featuring an insightful interview with Dr. Ann Marie Sullivan, Commissioner of the state Office of Mental Health. We also shed light on often overlooked demographics in suicide prevention and speak with Dan Egan from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention about the current state of mental health in New York.
Connections with Evan Dawson Live Talk Show Podcasts from WXXI News
May 24, 2024 Podcast: How a new pediatric urgent care is expected to address the mental health needs of local youth
May 1, 2024 Podcast: Examining youth mental health in the pandemic era
November 15, 2023 Podcast: How local teens are getting more involved in understanding their social and emotional health?
October 18, 2023 Podcast: How can we have more open conversations about mental illness, including suicidal ideation?
September 27, 2023 Podcast: Melissa Kearney, author of “The Two-Parent Privilege”
September 26, 2023 Podcast: Former WNBA all-star Chamique Holdsclaw on mental health advocacy
September 20, 2023 Podcast: Why are teens with mental health challenges not getting care?
August 31, 2023 Podcast: What do young people think causes hopelessness or lack of direction?
August 18, 2023 Podcast: Summer Book Week: A look inside children’s books dealing with anxiety
April 12, 2023 Podcast: What do young people need when it comes to digital literacy education?
March 23, 2023 Podcast: Can music help teens and young adults struggling with mental health challenges?
January 9, 2023 Podcast: How local institutions are working to connect people to mental health services
December 27, 2022 Podcast: How to help teens cope with trauma and mental health challenges
This program is part of the New York State Public Media Overdose Epidemic, an initiative funded by the New York State Education Department that has called on NYS public media organizations to create a multi-platform project to help address mental health and addiction throughout the state. The project includes broadcast offerings, online content, and special events, like this screening. The NYS stations will also work to create comprehensive digital teaching tools, online learning, and essential instructional content.
Indie Lens Pop-Up: Preview from The Tuba Thieves • The Little Theatre
Photo from The Tuba Thieves – Independent Lens
Join WXXI for a special FREE screening of 40 minutes of preview clips from the Tuba Thieves , a film by Alison O’Daniel. Each screening will be followed by moderated discussion.
About the Film: Between 2011 and 2013, tubas were stolen from high schools across Southern California. Against this backdrop, hard of hearing filmmaker Alison O’Daniel generates new sensitivity to sound and meaning in an unconventional documentary experience. What does it mean to listen? An exploration of musicality set against a theft. The central mystery of this unconventional documentary isn’t about theft; it’s about the nature of sound itself.
This event is free and open to the public but registration is required due to limited space and best accessibility.
Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free screening:
On Monday, April 29 at 6:30-8:30 p.m.
At The Little Theatre, Theatre 5
240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY
The clip screening will be followed by a moderated discussion. ASL interpretation will be provided for opening remarks and moderated discussion. This film will be presented with open captions.
Moderator: Sarah Abbamonte: Project Manager for Move to Include
Panelists:
Diana Pryntz, Executive Director, Deaf Refugee Advocacy
More About Diana Pryntz
Deaf since birth, Diana Pryntz grew up in New York City attending public schools. When she was of college age, she moved to Rochester, NY to attend Rochester Institute of Technology. It was there where she learned American Sign Language (ASL) and developed her Deaf identity. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Science in Instructional Technology. After a short stint working in the industry as a programmer for Xerox and then DuPont, she became a professor of Computer Science at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. In 1987, she switched gears and changed her career to motherhood.
During her 30 years of motherhood when she wasn’t busy raising and unschooling her four sons, she focused on empowering women with home birthing and breastfeeding as a leader of the ILY La Leche League group in Rochester, NY, forming and leading the Society of Rochester Jewish Deaf, presenting on: environmental design, renewable energy, and sustainability, and teaching ASL to the rural community where her husband and she built their off-the-grid passive solar home.
In May 2017, Diana co-founded Deaf Refugee Advocacy and is currently serving as the Executive Director.
Stacy Lawrence: Owner of Stacy Marie Lawrence Photojournalism & leader in establishing film venues to showcase deaf filmmakers such as Deaf Rochester Film Festival and a film camp for deaf teenagers.
More About Stacey Lawrence
Stacy Marie Lawrence is a talented, energetic and vibrant leader, organizer, fundraiser and photographer whose accomplishments in the past decade include establishing a unique and highly successful film camp for deaf teenagers and helping to make the Deaf Rochester Film Festival one of the primary venues for showcasing films about, by and for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
In 2013, Stacy conceived, directed and raised funds for a unique summer film camp for deaf teenagers. For two weeks, deaf and hard of hearing children from all over the country learned how to write, shoot and direct their own video productions under the tutelage of professional deaf filmmakers, animators and screenwriters from around the world. Profiled in several news stories, the camp was so successful that it has become an annual event. In August 2014, campers produced an ASL adaptation of Pharrell Williams’ smash hit “Happy,” which garnered international attention and over half a million YouTube hits in its first two weeks.
As DRFF’s Sponsorship Chair, she raised over $60,000 in grants and sponsorships for its four biennial festivals, developing a diverse sponsorship base spanning the deaf and hearing communities. She became its Executive Director in 2009, coordinating and managing all aspects of the 2009 and 2011 festivals, which brought talented deaf filmmakers to Rochester from all over the world. She developed lasting relationships with other prominent Rochester film festivals, the George Eastman House, the Little Theatre, ArtisanWorks and other stalwarts of the Rochester arts community.
Stacy is also the owner of Stacy Marie Lawrence Photojournalism, where she specializes in candid black-and-white photography of important events, children, weddings, births and anniversaries. In 2007, she designed, organized, promoted and displayed an exhibit of her photos from the 2006 Gallaudet protest, entitled “Sign Truth To Power,” at the RIT/NTID Dyer Arts Center.
More About the Film at PBS Independent Lens: The Tuba Thieves
Watch the Trailer:
The film is scheduled to air on WXXI-TV and Live Stream and on the PBS Player on May 20th at 10PM.
Learn More: Film Website
PBS Independent Lens: The Tuba Thieves
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a community series that brings people together for film screenings and conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup
Presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. Stream anytime on the PBS App. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.
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