Kate Poppenhagen is a doctoral student in Social Gerontology at Miami University and
volunteer staff member with Cincinnati Pride who worked for nearly two decades in long-
term care, first as a direct care provider for adults with intellectual and developmental
disabilities and later as an advocate for residents in assisted living and skilled nursing
communities. These experiences have shaped her passion for advocacy and led her to
reflect on new ways of understanding caregiving beyond the idea of a simple “labor of
love.” Drawing on her professional experience and ongoing research, Kate explores how
caring, person-centered relationships develop at the intersections of justice, ethics, and
advocacy. In this presentation, she reflects on how spirituality and LGBTQIA+ identity
shape elders’ needs and desires for care as they age, and how relationships, technology, and
advocacy influence what meaningful care can look like in later life.
Presenter: Kate Poppenhagen; Service Leader: Ann Fuehrer
Social Justice Second-Sunday Collection to Cincinnati Pride
Adult RE – “Defending Trans Lives and Democracy: Linking the Imara Jones
2025 Ware Lecture to the Attack on Democracy.” At noon following the service.