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12 Responses to “Lesbian & Gay Retirement Communities”
  1. cruz Says:

    you make the point you think lgbt-ers should be happy in these communities so they can be openly gay, but isn’t this a case of separating them from society in someway?

  2. Lara Belonogoff Says:

    As was stated in an article in the Grand Lake Guardian regarding the opening of the Barbary Lane Communities at Lake Merritt:

    Latina[president of the community] emphasized that seniors in Barbary Lane would not be isolated or cut off from the larger community. “The door swings both ways,” Latina said.

    I think giving people an environment where they feel safe and cared for is not in anyway pushing them into a situation where they are pushed out from society.

  3. Jane Steinberg Says:

    I understand your comment, but in fact at RainbowVision Santa Fe our members are anything but separated. We are an open, accepting community where anyone can live. Therefore we are proud to have many members from diverse backgrounds. But, to your point.... We have GLBT members who have suffered abuse at "mainstream" communities, in some progressive markets that would suprise you. In other communities same sex couples may not be allowed to live in the same bedroom. At RainbowVision everyone is encouraged to live life to fullest in a safe and completely secure environment with respect for individual rights.

  4. fritz Says:

    In NY I read that caregivers in facilities receive racial or ethnic training about 65% of the time, but only 13% have any sexual orientation sensitivity training. So until we know that openly gay people, let alone transgendered individuals, will be treated the same in facilities as straight people why should we place them there?!

  5. Pewit Says:

    I have been tracking the growth in the nmber of gay retirement communites and retirement services on my website for the past 10 years (from where I presume Lara obtained her information - see http://www.graygay.com/index.html?links_retire.htm).

    Numerous studies have shown that most retirement community residents and staff are at worst vehmently anti-gay or just completely lacking in understanding or sensitivity (in part due to lack of training).

    There have also been cases where local laws have been passed to prevent the siting of gay retiremnt communites - so nothing changes - even when you get old!

    But by 2020, an estimated 25% of the gay community is going to be aged over 60 so the demand is going to go up. It's not just for residential communites - home care services will be needed too - although the difficulty of finding suitably trained staff at an economic rate remains.

    Regards

    Paul
    Editor, GrayGay.com

  6. Jeffrey Dillon Says:

    As a licensed RCFE Administrator I have seen first hand several cases of discrimination of LGBT people in senior housing communities, even here in the Bay area.

    We are pleased to be the first communitiy to embrace the LGBT senior population with open doors that swing both ways, meaning our community will not be a place of isolation, but involve and invite the public into our community. In fact, our dining room will be open for lunch to the public.

    For questions or information visit http://www.barbarylanesenior.com

  7. Lara Belonogoff Says:

    Paul,

    It is interesting that a movement that has been in the making since the late 1990s—in this case LGBT retirement communities—does not have more mainstream press, but during my research for this posting I was surprised by how much more “online” LGBT retirement issues were. Gay Business World.com has an entire section on retirement. The Advocate has numerous stories, both personal and in a larger context, covering retirement issues. This subject has also been picked up by larger news organizations like USA Today and the Dallas Morning News in just this last year. And as to writing on the subject I feel that the more people really *is* the merrier as it needs to enter the political and social consciousness of all Americans so that changes can be made—and more importantly so more facilities are built.

    Lara

  8. Pewit Says:

    I should have also added that there is a chronic shortage in the UK (where I am based) in that we don't even have one gay retirement community and only 10 gay senior support groups around the country (but over gay 100 youth groups!).

    It's strange that the mainstream media seems to be more interested in gay retirement issues than the gay media that, with a few exceptions,still seems to pretend that everyone is 18-30 and that the older
    generation don't exist.

    Also very few local or national government agencies or elder support charities seem to be interested or involved in gay senior issues.

    Finally there are the gay lobby groups that for years have been campaigning for equal rights and lowering the age of consent - but now that we have gay civil partnerships in the UK and a reduced age of consent - they don't seem that interested in switching their considerable funds to help the very people who started the gay rights movement.

    Paul
    GrayGay.com

  9. Dave Latina Says:

    Paul, It doesn't surprise me that there are no LGBT Senior Communities in the UK. Here in San Francisco, advocates for LGBT Seniors, such as our friends and colleagues at Open House (www.openhouse-sf.org) have been working hard for over 8 years to bring an LGBT Senior Housing Community to one of the most out and open cities in the world. It is a huge challenge and despite our 45 years of combined development and operations experience, it took us almost three years to launch our first Barbary Lane Community here in the Bay Area.

    In the US alone there are currently estimated to be almost 3 million LGBT Seniors. By 2010 that number is expected to grow to 10 million.

    I would be happy to further discuss with you any opportunities to bring our LGBT Senior Housing model to the UK. Currently we are planning four more communities in urban cities throughout California and a fifth in New York City. We certainly would be interested in helping to increase housing options for LGBT Seniors in the UK, whether by bringing Barbary Lane Communities to the UK or by sharing our Senior Housing development and operations experience. Please don't hesitate to let me know if we can be of help.

    Dave Latina, President and co-founder
    Barbary Lane Senior Communities

  10. Barbara Jacobs Says:

    My comments have to do with searching for available assisted living or nursing facilities for elderly gay. My bother's partner of 45 years (my brother died over a year ago) is just not able to live alone, but refuses to consider anything else--even IF I could really locate something. I know that my brother and his partner visited Palm Springs for several weeks a number of years ago and favorably talked about moving there. Can anyone help me find acceptable facilities in that area? (or actually anywhere?)

  11. Jane Steinberg Says:

    Barbara
    I am not sure when you posted your comment, but we currently operate RainbowVision in Santa Fe, complete with assisted living and transitional residences. Feel free to contact me if you would like to explore this option.

    Jane Steinberg
    National Director, Marketing
    RainbowVision Properties

  12. Lara Belonogoff Says:

    Hi Barbara,

    There are only a handful of LGBT communities in the country; however, many facilities are gay friendly although they may not be categorized as an "LGBT community," but they do welcome the LGBT community with open arms. Your best bet, if you are not in one of these areas, is to call facilities and speak directly with their administrators about their residents and how they feel a gay senior would be treated.

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