SAGE LGBT Senior Center In New York City Will Be Nation's First

New York City will soon be home to the nation’s first full-time center for elderly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents, which is scheduled to open in January.

On Wednesday, the Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) was awarded an "Innovative Senior Center" (ISC) contract by the office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA) for the new project. The SAGE Center will be based in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood but offer a "comprehensive array of services and support" to LGBT elders throughout all five boroughs.

Though financial aspects of the deal were not released, SAGE is just one of eight providers selected as part of the ISC initiative. Others chosen for development include one facility specifically for adults with vision problems, and another offering a community gardening option. "The needs of seniors have evolved since centers were created 50 years ago and now is the time to re-envision the one-size-fits-all approach that has traditionally shaped many of our centers," Bloomberg said in a statement.

According to SAGE Senior Director of Programming Catherine Thurston, the new facility will offer its participants a variety of unique programming that, while not necessarily radically different in terms of content, will be designed to cater to the needs and interests of the LGBT community. "For elderly people who are also LGBT, going to traditional senior centers can pose a variety of unique challenges," Thurston told The Huffington Post. "Many LGBT elderly say they feel they’ve encountered discrimination, anything from simply feeling excluded to something more overt. ... If you cannot authentically be who you are at this stage of your life, it’s really tragic."

Authorities also say the center will service an estimated 300 people a day throughout the city, while its Manhattan-based headquarters will provide an anticipated 130 hot meals each day. Though SAGE currently provides similar programming at New York’s LGBT Community Center in Greenwich Village, the new contract will allow officials to extend the services to those who may not be aware or able to access them otherwise. "Obviously the impact will be much greater than that because it won’t be the same 300 people each day," Thurston added.

When it opens, the SAGE Center will follow similar facilities in Spain and Germany in catering to the elderly LGBT population. In addition, DFTA Commissioner Lilliam Barrios-Paoli said the center would be a critical step in improving New York’s image as an age-friendly city. "We are very excited that for the first time in this country, LGBT seniors will have a full-service, comprehensive center with access to supports and services to meet their specific need," she noted in an email.

Comments

[lukasheim]

06:19 PM on 11/09/2011

Interesting story. I am a journalism student at Columbia University and plan to write about elderly LGBT people in New York City going back into the closet after moving to a long-term care facility (a nursing home or senior center, for example). Anyone interested to participate and to find out more contact me via [e-mail]. Lukas Heim

[ldeibler]

03:14 PM on 11/02/2011

As mature marketing experts, Varsity discusses this movement and whether this move will ultimately help this demographic. Check it out here: http://www.varsitybranding.com/viewpoint/index.php/2011/10/lgbt-senior-center/

[Trittydi]

08:12 PM on 10/21/2011

Excellent! ... this makes me very happy.
*

[Ed Baker]

10:39 AM on 10/21/2011

Kind of sad really. I'm hoping by the time I need a nursing home or retirement home, it will no longer be an issue.

Segregation is just sad.

[calpinky]

01:34 PM on 10/20/2011

Ummm, you guys might want to do some fact checking in Palm Springs, California. I'm not sure if it is exclusively for seniors now, but the initial focus of the The Golden Rainbow Center was elderly gay citizens and their specific issues.

[Imperial Puppy]

10:32 AM on 10/20/2011

Is the center specializing in LGBT seniors, or do they serve only LGBT seniors? There's a huge difference between the two.

[somewhatodd]

11:06 AM on 10/20/2011

it depends. if you gain admission by the front door, it will be as if you've entered your typical senior center.

however, if you go around to side, in the alley way, there's another door, with a little slot for just the eyes of the doorkeep, and then only if you know the secret knock. but the knock is not enough, you'll have to know the secret song of the day, and sing it in the secret key. however, the merciful doorkeep will blow one cord one time on his harmonica to provide a clue.

[Imperial Puppy]

11:09 AM on 10/20/2011

Will seniors be forced to slay a dragon and bring back its heart to prove their worth to the One Who Rules Us All?

[kewps]

09:56 AM on 10/20/2011

This is something that is much needed. A women only type community would be most welcome to me as I am now 55.

[Ed Baker]

10:40 AM on 10/21/2011

Self segregation?

[Dana1982]

09:44 AM on 10/20/2011

There's nothing wrong with this as long as there's no discrimination against straighs as well. No one should be barred based on their sexual preference as that would be discrimination.

[duncansdad]

09:47 AM on 10/20/2011

I find it interesting that you are worried about straight people being discriminated against.

[Dana1982]

09:57 AM on 10/20/2011

I find it interesting that you would want to discriminate against straight people.

[somewhatodd]

09:56 AM on 10/20/2011

sure you're welcome to try out, but you'll still have to survive a gauntlet of grueling trials and merciless talent tests judged by the most ruthless and nit pickiest people we can muster.

[Dana1982]

09:59 AM on 10/20/2011

So I guess there's going to be bullying there against people who are different? Is this ok with you? Should it be ok to bully people who are different?

[daninastoria]

10:29 AM on 10/20/2011

That is great, you just became the first and only person I've fanned thank you, what a great way to start off my day.

[SantaFeConservative]

09:44 AM on 10/20/2011

There was a gay retirement community here in Santa Fe called Rainbow Village. It started about 5 years ago and unfortunately went bankrupt last year.

[JScott]

09:35 AM on 10/20/2011

Good luck with that.
They were going to build a lgbt senior housing complex in Cathedral City Ca. but it's still a vacant lot for sale along hwy. 111.

[george2k]

09:31 AM on 10/20/2011

I joined SAGE in New York City a few years ago. After I filled out the application and paid the $35 membership fee, the SAGE woman showed me a list of SAGE events and told me, "You can't go to any of these."!?!

I complained to the SAGE board. They had one of their board members call me on the phone. For half an hour, the SAGE NY board member YELLED at me in a RAGE and INTERRUPTED me incessantly. He said I could not attend SAGE events even though I was member because I was "too young". I was able to ask him what would be the problem if I were to attend a SAGE luncheon and pay my own way completely. He replied, "If we let you attend, then other SAGE members will stop coming to events."!!!

I am currently a member of SAGE, Prime Timers, and a gay Senior Coffee group in another state. People at these groups like me. At one point I was even voted treasurer of a Prime Timers group in a different state. I have numerous older gay men and lesbian friends. Those people like me and accept me for who I am. To SAGE of New York, on the other hand, all I was was a 'insert anti-gay epithet here'.

I later learned that federal age discrimination laws protect anyone 40 or older.

SAGE of New York needs to behave professionally, appropriately, and legally.

[Ron in NYC]

04:14 AM on 10/22/2011

I will certainly want to make sure (and be guaranteed) these policies don't exist in the new Senior Center or SAGE won't get another dime out of me.

[Hardyman1966]

09:20 AM on 10/20/2011

Outstanding!  Here's a bold one in the works in the Palm Springs area that HP featured earlier this year:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/15/boom-retirement-community_n_823535.html#s240555&title=Arakawa__Gins

[paddlerchick]

09:06 AM on 10/20/2011

It's great that this is happening. It is sad that in this society, in this time, we have to label a senior center a LGBT center. Too bad we still have to discriminate even if in a positive way.

[Lesperado]

09:21 AM on 10/20/2011

Discrimination would be if we were denied building a LGBT Center. It's not a "label" as much as it is a description of the type of facility it will be.

[paddlerchick]

09:48 AM on 10/20/2011

Ok, description. But, wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a society where this wasn't even an issue?

[Ron in NYC]

04:23 AM on 10/22/2011

I'm sure that works two ways. Gay people are very age-conscious. If a couple of kids go into gay & lesbian center and only see seniors sitting around, you can be sure they will turn around and make a beeline for the door. Years ago, any bar that catered to an older crowd were (maybe still are) known as Wrinkle Rooms. I think it's great that seniors will have their own center where then can kick back without drippy kids coming in and giving them dirty looks because they aren't potential pick-ups. Although there are quite a number of young people who are attracted to older men and they should be welcomed there.

[bluguy8]

08:25 AM on 10/20/2011

wonderful-- its surely neded

[huffnpuff2]

07:48 AM on 10/20/2011

Martin Luther King's neice, Dr. Alveda King, on the issues of our time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf-L2He4xww&feature=player_embedded#!

[Valksy]

08:47 AM on 10/20/2011

Her "doctorate" is only honorary and not studied for or earned, she has a revolving door to the marriage licence clerk (3 divorces and counting) and Dr Martin Luther King's WIFE who knew him a little better than his bloody niece can ever claim made it very clear before her death that MLK would have understood and stood up for the rights of LGBT people.

Aveda has hitched her wagon the family name and dines out on it. Her credibility is exactly zero.

I could say the same about you, poster. She's a phoney.

[huffnpuff2]

08:53 AM on 10/20/2011

Valksy, yes, yes....Yawn, and according to Dr. King's closest partner in the Civil Rights movement and marches, Dr. Ralph Abernathy, MLK had plenty of grievous moral failings himself---but his wife forgave him as an example to you and all of us.

Listen to what the woman says. Listen. Listen...