Out Spotlight XXXXVII

Today's Out Spotlight is about SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders). Started by lesbian and gay activists and aging service professionals in 1978 as Senior Action in a Gay Environment, the New York based organizationan is the world's oldest and largest non-profit agency addressing the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders.

A watershed moment came October 12-14th , when the AARP — the largest advocacy group for Americans over 50 — for the first time sponsors a major national conference focused on gay and lesbian aging. It's being organized by SAGE. There are 2.5 million LGTB seniors in the United States. Workshops included a whole array of issues: mental health care and suicide prevention, transgender seniors, rising levels of HIV/AIDS among gay men over 50, and special challenges facing elderly gays in suburbs and small towns.

SAGE works with LGBT elders to address and overcome the challenges of discrimination in senior service settings, while also being an essential component in the creation of informal caregiving support, and development of new "family" networks. SAGE's programs include:

* The nation's first Friendly Visiting program for frail and homebound LGBT seniors
* The country's first support group for LGBT seniors with HIV
* The nation's first program dedicated to caregiving services for LGBT seniors.
* The nation's first LGBT Senior Drop-In Center,
* The creation of the first national conferences devoted to LGBT aging concerns
* The only Robert Wood Johnson Foundation "Faith in Action" grantee (of more than 2,000 nationwide) specifically targeting GLBT older people for supportive services.

With all the great advancement in LGBT civil rights, many senior care providers never stop to consider that their older clients may be lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. And those who do may not know how to provide services in culturally-sensitive ways. As a result, many LGBT seniors often avoid seeking needed services out of fear of discrimination. It is those kinds of issues that SAGE and other organizations for LGBT seniors addresses.

There is tendency for LGBT seniors to go back in the closet, particularly in situations where they are most vulnerable, such as when accessing home health care or residing in assisted living or residential care facilities. Can you imagine how after living your life openly, you find yourself going back in the closet? Because of fear of homophobia for your healthcare or housing? For some who fought in the early days they are going back into living situations with those people who they are fighting discrimination against 40 years ago. Even most basic rights such as hospital visitation or the right to die in the same nursing home are regularly denied same-sex partners.

One study indicated that LGBT seniors may be as much as five times less likely to access needed health and social services because of their fear of discrimination from the very people who should be helping them.

And then there's the whole social isolation that has an enormous impact in the health and well being of LGBT seniors. With LGBT seniors twice as likely to live alone than heterosexual seniors, more than four times as likely to have no children, the informal caregiving support we assume is in place for older adults may not be there for LGBT elders.

And its not just healthcare, it is housing and income issues. Many LGTB seniors do not have the pension or the survivor benefits of their partners, they have no legal rights from the government. Some LGTB seniors worked in professions or positions that did not have pension plans. Many were freelancers, artists, performers where pension plans where never a part of the picture. While many see the LGTB community having disposable income, that could be true of the younger generation, but not that of those in their 60's, 70's and 80's.

And even sadder many LGBT seniors experience social isolation and ageism within the LGBT community itself.

SAGE and other organizations around the country are working hard to change these things. There are a growing number of retirement communities, senior housing and other high-end housing options targeting LGBT seniors. But there hundreds of thousands of LGBT seniors who will be aging in place in their own communities, SAGE is work to provide programs and services giving them the link they need to a safe and welcoming community.

While most here are not even close to retiring, there is so much to learn, do and act to participate in the good work that SAGE and other agencies like SAGE do. It is all about becoming aware and educated that reduces the prejudices and increases diversity and acceptance.

There is a great documentary on LGTB seniors and those who are trying to serve them called Ten More Years. The entire documentary is up on LOGO. Encourage everyone to take a look at a clip or two or but hope people will take the time to watch the whole thing.

SAGE

Aging as Ourselves - LGTB -San Diego

Azetca : 50+ LGBT Latino/Latina Community

American Society on Aging Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network (LGAIN)

Gay Retirement Guide

Griot Circle - LGTB Elders of Color

National Center for Lesbian Rights - Elder Legal Issues

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - Aging

New Leaf : LGTB Senior - SF/Bay Area



AP: Gay Seniors

LOGO --- Documentary : Ten More Years