In the movie' Marigold Hotel' and the TV series that came later,   one thing came over quite clearly;-  that elderly people 'pick up' when they have company. Walking sticks are sometimes discarded.  Medication  decreased and general health and well being improves.  Laughter and fun helps the mind, body and soul rejuvenate and is a great healer. Company is important.

Sharing with others motivates - it motivates you to get going in the morning.

It motivates you to chat and converse on what the day has to offer - on last nights movie - on politics of the day and about life, death and the universe.

It motivates you to share of yourself,  your past experiences over the dacades and the stories that make you who you are. It's easy to grow old and forget, and sharing and conversing about all sorts of things keeps the mind active.

 

Many gay and bisexual men have voiced concern about their old age worrying about where they will live and with whom.  Warden assisted apartments, both private and run by various charities offer a superb service and can be found all over the country, but many gay men feel uncomfortable within these venues, largely geared around heterosexual men and women and where many feel isolated from other LGBT people.  While being very welcome at these venues, many feel 'at odds' with all the grandchildren who visit or the 'straight talk' and quite simply,  many do not understand our LGBT lifestyle and some can feel ostracized and even ignored,  and while the law on equality is as we had marched and campaigned over for decades,  it will take a few generations for many people to ' catch up' and not see us as 'queer.'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Services offers care - as far as budgets go, often with foreign staff who pop in and out for half an hour  a day,  and this is not company and serves little purpose but is all that is available.  Isolation in old age brings about depression and the foggyness of the mind is hightened through a lack of contact or conversation that goes beyond discussing the weather and checking you have taken your medication that morning.  

 

We appreciate there are many places on offer to assist with the care and housing of the elderly, and we hear the horror stories of bad food, uncaring staff,  loneliness and left sitting in a chair all day - and many dread getting old and ending up like this.  You are also vulnerable to homophobic abuse from staff and other residents and with so few training programmes geared around educating care staff on these issue,  and where these trainings are often incorrect and blatantly put together by people who are ignorant to the needs of gay men,  it really does not help.
 

 

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As a 'NOT FOR PROFIT VENUE'  -  Hamilton Hall has always offered hundreds of free weekends to those in need - and we have put a HUGE amount back into the gay community for free and with love and many peoples lives have been changed for the better and it thrills and excites when people return and tell us what a huge difference a visit to Hamilton Hall does for them. All this has been offered freely and for no hidden agenda other than simply helping by John  Bellamy since he opened Hamilton Hall in March 2000.