Last year, Denmark’s first elderly home for non-ethnic Danes was established in Amager, and now the LGBT community in the capital can look forward to having their own elderly home as well.
Last night, the City Council agreed to set aside 370,000 kroner for the establishment of the nation's first elderly home for sexual minorities. It has been dubbed the regnbueplejehjem (rainbow elderly home).
”It's important that we offer diversity to our elderly,” Ninna Thomsen, the deputy mayor for health and care, told Politiken newspaper.
She was backed up by Lars Aslan Rasmussen, a City Council representative.
”The gay community is massive in Copenhagen, which is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world," he told Politiken.
"So we believe we have a responsibility to listen to the gay rights organisation."
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The regnbueplejehjem will be part of Plejecentret Slottet elderly centre in Nørrebro, and the plan is not for the LGBT to have their own section, but that those interested have the opportunity to move in as vacancies become available.
The gay rights organisation LGBT Danmark has praised the City Council's decision, referring to the regnbueplejehjem as a “great move”.
”We are a group that is viewed as doing well in Denmark today, but there is still a marginalisation of LGBT people in some areas, and it's important to have the opportunity to be in a secure fellowship with people who are positively inclined about you,” Ivan Hemmingsen, a spokesperson for LGBT Danmark, told Politiken.
