Apartment complexes, communes and services for elderly LGBTI+ around the globe
20/01/2021 | 17 Mayıs
We have compiled global examples of living spaces for elderly LGBTI+’s.
The "Elderly LGBTI+" project of the May 17 Association 40+ Lubunya Study Group with the cooperation of Kaos GL, has entered its last two months. The project started on July 1st, and will end at the end of February 2021.
The report book, which includes Online Research on Rights and Issues of Elder LGBTI+ Persons and Collecting Good Examples Domestically and Globally will be shared in the coming days in English and Turkish.
Online Research on Rights and Issues of Elder LGBTI+ Persons and Collecting Good Examples Domestically and Globally brings some good examples around the world and information on the rights and problems of elder LGBTI + people. These examples of retirement communities (retirement homes), nursing homes, caravan parks from the USA and Canada; Apartment complexes/residences/other from America; some sample organizations from all over the world; highlights networks and other good practices in sense of elderly LGBTI+'s.
The common point in these examples and the studies carried out by organizations is focusing on the individual characteristics of the elderly, instead of the one-size-fits-all approach; ensuring the accessibility and usability of the structural environment which the elderly interact in terms of their participation in daily life and their social relations, assessing the needs of all users. There are many living space centers in the world that provide services for LGBTI+ allies or LGBTI+'s, considering that ties with friends, not stepping out of daily life and participating in active activities are becoming more and more important with the age.
Good examples from the USA
Some examples of these services from the USA are:
- Fountaingrove/Fountaingrove Lodge, is a retirement community located in Santa Rosa, California and it is one of the first community for elderly LGBTİ+ persons with its continuous class of services. It consist of spacious and well-designed apartments with an allotted patio and balcony for every unit owner. The kitchens are full-sized and equipped with high-end facilities and appliances. Fountaingrove lodge also have wide areas for fitness centers, a salon and day spa, gardens, swimming pools and as well as parking garage for residents. It is a luxurious, full-featured LGBTI+ retirement center. The residents can move in being fully active and independent. Pets are welcomed. This LGBT-friendly community is one of the most beautiful communities on the list. From gourmet dining and concierge services to spa treatments and housekeeping, the professional staff caters to residences’ every need including special services for alzheimer and dementia patients. The activities held there include chocolate parties, wine nights, golf tournament and pride week activities.
- Seashore Point, is located in the Massachusetts/ Provincetown as a residential community for LGBTİ+ persons, 55 years of age and over. It has designed houses with a convenient access to a full range of amenities and personal medical services. One-bedrooms and two-bedrooms can be chosen in every unit. This center features a restaurant style private dining rooms, a multipurpose function room, a fully-equipped fitness center, a library, reserved parking lots and it is a pet-friendly community. There is a wellness center. Should health needs arise, the residents can avail health or companion services in their houses or can use rehab center. It offers a full schedule of activities where the residents can enjoy restaurants, arts, cultural events and festivities in the town.
- Carefree Cove, is a lesbian and gay seniors’ log houses community in Boone/North Carolina known as “High Country”, where the residence can enjoy the view of Appalachian mountains. The community offers the natural assets in the forest. Its amenities includes the clubhouse and trails for walking and biking.
- A Place For Us, is a new LGBTI+ housing community that recently opened after two decades of work located in the border of Cleveland and Lakewood, Ohio. It consist of one and two-bedroom spacious apartments with professional staff that offers a 24-hour emergency maintenance. Amenities include the business center, community room with kitchenette, controlled access buildings, fitness centers, a library, a laundry room on every floor, meditation rooms, spacious closets and fully-equipped kitchens. It is a pet-friendly community.
- Spirit On Lake, is an urban living located at Minneapolis, Minnesota that supports LGBTI+ seniors. It consists of 46 units and an underground parking. Community amenities include laundry facilities, units for persons with disabilities, fitness centers, indoor and outdoor pools, playgrounds, clubhouse and bicycle trails. It accepts housing vouchers from the government in order to provide the LGBTI+ seniors free stays.
- Stonewall Gardens Assisted Living, is the first center offering all kind of services for elderly LGBTI+ persons. Stonewall Gardens has another branch located in Palm Springs, California. It is made up of 24 bungalow-style apartments with 3 different types which are the studio apartment, one-bedroom apartment and a shared deluxe studio apartment. It offers wide range of services including the 24- hour staffing to help the daily living activities of the residents, in order to cover their personal care, special dietary needs, regular healthcare. The services also include weekly housekeeping service. The amenities are cafe area, activity rooms, seating areas, laundry rooms, common areas inside and out for different recreational activities and events. It is a pet friendly space. Residents enjoy group outings like going to the theater, shopping, dining out, etc
- The Palms of Manasota, Palmetto, Florida, is the first retirement community in America to openly welcome LGBTI+ seniors. It is located in the Tampa Bay area between St. Petersburg and Sarasota. There are two areas or phases, one with 21 stand-alone homes and another with 2 condos and duplex units.
Apartment complexes for Elder LGBTI+’s
In recent years, the number of low-income retirement apartments that are friendly to elderly LGBTI+ persons has increased. These facilities are government-subsidized and require low-income qualifications for entry. In most cases. Most of them were filled via a lottery system. Primary examples of these apartment complexes are as follows:
- Townhall Apartments is located in Chicago, Illinois. It is part of an affordable housing initiative in Chicago, offering permanent housing and supportive services for persons at risk of homelessness and/or living with HIV/AIDS. The facility has been around for 3 years and is a safe place for LGBTI+ seniors. It is the success of a joint 25 million USD project between Heartland Alliance, the anti-poverty group that developed and manages the property, and Center on Halsted, Chicago’s LGBT resources and cultural center that provides programming services.
- Crotona Senior Residences, is a 65,000 square foot, mixed-use, 7-story, 82-unit residence for elderly LGBTI+ persons backed by SAGE in Crotona Park North in the Bronx. This building features a laundry room, community room and terrace with gardening plots. Its Great Room hosts daily meals and recreation activities.
- Triangle Square, is located in Los Angeles, Hollywood. A slightly different take on the traditional retirement communities listed so far, Triangle Square was designed to provide homes for persons in need of a more affordable housing option. There are 96 units for lower-income seniors and 34% are designated specifically for seniors living with HIV/AIDS or who are at risk of homelessness. It is the initiative of Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing The Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing’s (GLEH).
Civil society organizations around the globe
Some of the examples of civil society organizations from the world are:
- SAGE-National LGBT Housing Initiative: It is an initiative aiming to provide elderly LGBTI+ persons with housing services nationwide. It tries to ensure LGBTI+ persons to find safe spaces to live when they aged, where they will be treated respectfully and compassionately. It is addressing these challenges on several fronts by building LGBTI+-friendly housing in New York City; advocating nationally against housing discrimination; training eldercare providers to be LGBTI+ culturally competent; providing trainings to LGBTI’s on housing rights; helping builders to replicate LGBT-friendly housing. This initiative is supported by the Calamus Foundation and Citi Community Development.
- HAAG-Housing for the Aged Action Group: Housing for the Aged Action Group is working towards the Rainbow Tick accreditation. The Rainbow Tick is a national accreditation program for organizations that are committed to safe and inclusive practice, and service delivery for LGBTI+ persons. The Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program supports organizations to understand and implement LGBTI safe and inclusive service delivery and provides national recognition for those that meet the Rainbow Tick Standards. The Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program is a voluntary program and aims to assist organizations to move from LGBTI-friendly to LGBTI-inclusive while reassuring LGBTI consumers and staff that an organisation is aware of, is responsive to and is understanding of their needs.
- Housing for the Aged Action Group is working towards the Rainbow Tick accreditation. The Rainbow Tick is a national accreditation program for organizations that are committed to safe and inclusive practice, and service delivery for LGBTI+ persons. The Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program supports organizations to understand and implement LGBTI safe and inclusive service delivery and provides national recognition for those that meet the Rainbow Tick Standards. The Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program is a voluntary program and aims to assist organizations to move from LGBTI-friendly to LGBTI-inclusive while reassuring LGBTI consumers and staff that an organisation is aware of, is responsive to and is understanding of their needs.
Examples of communal societies
Some of the other centers that provides services for Elder LGBTI+’s and communal living spaces are:
- Village Hearth Cohousing, USA: It is an 55+ intentional communal neighborhood for LGBTI+s and allies in Durham, North Carolina. The age range of residents is 55 to 73. It is a project of a retired couple lasting 13 months. It is the first cohousing community to receive financing from National Cooperative Bank. The plan was to finish the construction on April 2020 but it is still under construction. The Village Hearth Cohousing development includes 28 single-story accessible homes on a 15-acre wooded site. The community will include a 2,600-square-foot common house with a kitchen, dining/meeting room, sitting area with a gas fireplace, laundry room, exercise studio, and art studio. There are also plans to build a separate workshop and storage building, along with a dog park, gardens, walking trails, and fire pit after residents move in.
- Tonic Living, UK: It is a plan of communal living practice. The aim is to provide a safe space for elderly LGBTI+ persons of various backgrounds who have had similar experiences. This project, which aims to eliminate the discrimination, lack of support and loneliness experienced by elderly LGBTI+ persons in meeting the needs when they are aged, is planned to be implemented in London soon with the supports received from charities.
- Villa Anders, Germany: It is located in Cologne, Germany. This residential area is one of the oldest LGBTI+ residential areas. It was opened in 2009, this residential complex consists of three buildings and 20 apartments, subsidized by the city administration to allow low-income persons to reside there. In this complex, which is open to everyone, the proportion of heterosexuals does not exceed 10%. One third of the residents are LGBTI+ persons over the age of 60, they receive direct support from the municipality.
- Older Women in Cohousing, Inc. – WinC, Australia: WinC is an organization working on a sustainable shared housing community for older queer women in Victoria, Australia. With grants from Victoria Women’s Trust and Lesbians, Inc in 2019, they have taken action to build homes for 20-25 persons, establish permaculture gardens and communal buildings. They plan to start working on cooperatives in the future. The establishment, which is currently at the stage of purchasing the land, aims to create an area where the kitchen, dining room, music workshop, carpentry workshop, exercise room will be included when the entire construction process is completed.
There are similar organizations and centers in the USA, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Brazil, Norway, Spain, Moldova, Finland, Belgium and Switzerland. Much more information about all these organizations and centers can be found in the book "The Rights and Issues of Elder LGBTI+, and Examples from the World". This report book will be shared in Turkish and English in the coming days.
Translation: Yiğit E. Korkmaz