Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) seniors often are challenged by the search for welcoming and inclusive senior housing options. Often LGBT individuals face discrimination and even abuse when looking for retirement communities, assisted living, and/or long-term care options.
 
However, we know that many people who work in these fields are supportive and often advocate for the LGBT community. Coalition for Aging’s (CfA-LGBT) LGBT Friendly Senior Housing Living Initiative aims to enhance the overall quality of life for LGBT seniors by connecting them with LGBT-friendly and safe housing. 

We are working with senior communities to objectively measure LGBT core competencies, and identify gaps and training/development opportunities by facility.   This is called the Guide to LGBT Friendly Senior Housing In North Texas.

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Guide to LGBT Friendly Senior Housing in North Texas: The Coalition for Aging LGBT is currently working with 9 senior living communities in the four counties of Dallas, Collin, Tarrant, and Denton to provide a consumer guide for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender older adults looking for housing options that are welcoming and inclusive. This is an extensive assessment and education process of each senior community.  The initial step is the property leadership completing a comprehensive survey on LGBT competencies, practices, and policies to serve members of the LGBT community.  Then the Housing Committee of the Coalition for Aging LGBT is conducting on-site visits to review the survey results with each property’s leadership team. Next step, once LGBT competency levels are assessed and understood, an extensive training program is administered to all levels of the senior community organizations.    
 
Social Engagement in Senior Living Communities: Another critical aspect of LGBT Friendly Senior Housing is creating internal social engagement programs for the residents of these communities who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender older adults and may have gone back into the closet out of fear of living in a non-LGBT inclusive community.  The guide will direct new residents, and the social engagement programs will build an internal welcoming culture to all residents that are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender.
 
This inaugural Guide to LGBT Friendly Senior Housing in North Texas publication will be available to the public in early Fall 2018.  

LGBT Friendly Senior Housing Living Initiative will be used by LGBT Seniors to find communities that provide inclusive and equitable care. Responses for each participating community will be published on CfA-LGBT’s website and made available to 211 Helpline, Senior Source, and the [Dallas] Resource Center’s information / referral lines, and other outlets to get this information distributed to the widest audience available.