When married couple Pat McAulay and Margaret Roesch were in their 40s, they had a shared dream for old age: living in a big house with other lesbians where everyone took care of each other. That vision — and their experiences with isolation and discrimination — inspired them to build Village Hearth, the first 55+ co-housing community for LGBTQ seniors and allies in the U.S. They tell Anita what it’s been like to live there for the past five years, and then a young activist shares how she’s helping connect queer folks with other models for aging in community, from RV parks to affordable housing.Meet the guests:- Pat McAulay and Margaret Roesch, co-founders of <a href="https://www.villagehearthcohousing.com/">Village Hearth</a> in Durham, the first 55+ cohousing community for LGBTQ seniors and allies- Jane Haskell, director of impact and engagement at <a href="https://www.sageusa.org/">SAGE</a>, a non-profit advocacy and service organization focused on LGBTQ seniors<a href="https://www.wunc.org/2025-11-05/how-lgbtq-seniors-are-aging-in-community">Read the transcript</a> | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/embodiedwunc/?hl=en">Instagram </a><a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/254474/43/83gu0x074ydhd8wm">Leave a message for Embodied</a>

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;When married couple Pat McAulay and Margaret Roesch were in their 40s, they had a shared dream for old age: living in a big house with other lesbians where everyone took care of each other. That vision — and their experiences with isolation and discrimination — inspired them to build Village Hearth, the first 55+ co-housing community for LGBTQ seniors and allies in the U.S. They tell Anita what it’s been like to live there for the past five years, and then a young activist shares how she’s helping connect queer folks with other models for aging in community, from RV parks to affordable housing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meet the guests:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- &lt;strong&gt;Pat McAulay and Margaret Roesch&lt;/strong&gt;, co-founders of &lt;a href="https://www.villagehearthcohousing.com/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Village Hearth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in Durham, the first 55+ cohousing community for LGBTQ seniors and allies&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- &lt;strong&gt;Jane Haskell&lt;/strong&gt;, director of impact and engagement at &lt;a href="https://www.sageusa.org/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;SAGE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, a non-profit advocacy and service organization focused on LGBTQ seniors&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.wunc.org/2025-11-05/how-lgbtq-seniors-are-aging-in-community"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Read the transcript&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt; | Review the podcast on your preferred platform&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow Embodied on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/embodiedwunc/?hl=en"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Instagram &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/254474/43/83gu0x074ydhd8wm"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leave a message for Embodied&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

LQBTQ seniors face distinct challenges in older age — from isolation to struggles in accessing care and services because of their sexuality. Anita talks with three folks building solutions: a lesbian couple who built the first 55+ senior cohousing community in the country and a young activist connecting LGBTQ elders with resources.

When married couple Pat McAulay and Margaret Roesch were in their 40s, they had a shared dream for old age: living in a big house with other lesbians where everyone took care of each other. That vision — and their experiences with isolation and discrimination — inspired them to build Village Hearth, the first 55+ co-housing community for LGBTQ seniors and allies in the U.S. They tell Anita what it’s been like to live there for the past five years, and then a young activist shares how she’s helping connect queer folks with other models for aging in community, from RV parks to affordable housing.

Meet the guests:

- Pat McAulay and Margaret Roesch, co-founders of <a href="https://www.villagehearthcohousing.com/">Village Hearth</a> in Durham, the first 55+ cohousing community for LGBTQ seniors and allies

- Jane Haskell, director of impact and engagement at <a href="https://www.sageusa.org/">SAGE</a>, a non-profit advocacy and service organization focused on LGBTQ seniors

<a href="https://www.wunc.org/2025-11-05/how-lgbtq-seniors-are-aging-in-community">Read the transcript</a> | Review the podcast on your preferred platform

Follow Embodied on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/embodiedwunc/?hl=en">Instagram </a>

<a href="https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/s/254474/43/83gu0x074ydhd8wm">Leave a message for Embodied</a>

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How LGBTQ Seniors Are Aging In Community

How LGBTQ Seniors Are Aging In Community

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