Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) older adults face heightened risks of
social isolation, given decades of discrimination. Research on telephone buddy programs
with non-LGBTQ+ participants has proved predominantly unsuccessful at addressing social
isolation. However, evidence suggests that LGBTQ+ adults may actually benefit from
telephone buddy programs and in ways uniquely different from other groups. This article
shares lessons learned from 35 participants across a 12-month pilot program that matched …

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults face heightened risks of social
isolation, given decades of discrimination. Research on telephone buddy programs with non-
LGBT participants have proved predominantly unsuccessful at addressing social isolation
and have found the greatest success with same-age matches. However, evidence suggests
that LGBT adults may actually benefit from telephone buddy programs and in ways uniquely
different from other groups. This article shares lessons learned from 30 participants across a …