On a recent Thursday at the Retirement House - a Hollywood set rented by the hour - there were two shoots going on. “I’m having a great time.” Rewriting the Script for Old Age
“The irony, of course, is that we’re in Retirement House, but I don’t have anything to retire from,” she said. Soon, though, the men were ready to take their talents to a bigger platform. Martin moved into a house across the street.Ī few years later, a younger neighbor, Ryan Yezak, 35, who’d gotten to chatting with the men during his Saturday morning dog walks, suggested they film a few videos for Grindr, where Mr. Reeves’s Craigslist ad for a room in a gay-friendly, nudist-friendly home. “What we’re doing, through the strength of our friendships and our mutual support, is changing the course of the way one lives their life.” Chosen Familyīy the time the Old Gays started posting on TikTok, in December 2020, the four men already had half a century of friendship between them. “As you get into old age, moving into a nursing home is what’s expected, and many older people buy into that plan,” Mr. Rather than rely on younger relatives or paid strangers for care and companionship, why not turn to each other? Even those who can manage without support face increased risks of loneliness and depression. But for people who have lost mobility, the rising cost of home care can be prohibitive.
