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Assessment 2: Community Resources
Advocacy & Services for LGBTQ+ Elders (SAGE)
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Due Date
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Introduction
Health and well-being are often under-addressed for LGBTQ+ elders, who face unique
challenges that include social isolation, disparities in healthcare, and discrimination (Lampe et
al., 2023) Advocacy & Services for LGBTQ+ Elders (SAGE), was a pioneering national
nonprofit organization committed to addressing these issues and improving the quality of life for
LGBTQ+ older adults. SAGE, 2020. As one of the oldest and most acclaimed organizations for
this purpose, SAGE provides priceless advocacy, support, and education toward the guarantee
that LGBTQ+ elders are able to age with pride and dignity, in respect, and with access to needed
resources (SAGE, 2020). The organization works to eliminate disparities by creating inclusive
environments, providing safe spaces, and advocating for protective policy changes for LGBTQ+
individuals. It describes the contribution SAGE makes in helping to improve public health and
safety, equal opportunity, and quality of life for the LGBTQ+ elder community.
Mission and Vision Supporting Public Health and Safety
SAGE's mission is "to lead in addressing issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender aging" (SAGE, 2022). The organization fulfills this mission through direct services
and effective advocacy for older LGBTQ+ adults to ensure their health, safety, and dignity.
SAGE envisions a world where LGBTQ+ elders can age with respect in a nondiscriminatory
manner and have access to culturally competent healthcare and social services. SAGE takes
public health and safety into account in its efforts to address mental health, social isolation, and
health disparities among LGBTQ+ elders. For example, the "SAGE Centers" offer a friendly
home for service delivery and a way of spending quality time with others, thereby reducing
feelings of isolation or mental illness such as depression and anxiety, which are common among
older adults in the LGBTQ+ population. (SAGE, 2022). SAGE simultaneously initiated the
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"National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging," an educational tool that would afford resources
to caregivers, healthcare professionals, and elder care providers about the special health needs of
LGBTQ+ elders, thereby enhancing culturally competent healthcare and reducing health risks.
Promoting Equal Opportunity and Quality of Life
SAGE is instrumental in fostering equal opportunity and quality of life for LGBTQ+
elders by addressing social, cultural, and economic challenges. Discrimination against LGBTQ+
elders often happens within healthcare environments, housing, and social services, while they
have always received less familial support (Ayhan et al., 2020). SAGE tackles these barriers
through advocacy and programs crafted to create supportive and inclusive environments for
LGBTQ+ elders.
Among the major activities of SAGE is the advocacy for policy changes that promote
increased access to inclusive elder care (SAGE, 2022). For example, SAGE has advocated for
legislation that improves protection for LGBTQ+ elders from discrimination in long-term care
facilities, and ensures equal rights to quality care (SAGE, 2020). In fact, the "Care Management"
services that SAGE provides support hypothetical LGBTQ+ seniors in their battles with housing
or healthcare issues and through processes that may not always be respectful.
SAGE also works toward improving the financial security of LGBTQ+ elders through its
programs. Many face economic insecurity in older age as the result of a lifetime of employment
discrimination, lack of family support, and a lack of access to partner benefits (Ayhan et al.
2020). SAGE advocates for policies that would provide financial security to LGBTQ+ elders,
including equal access to Social Security benefits-even for those who may have been in same-sex
partnerships that were not legally recognized.
Impact of Funding Sources, Policies, and Legislation on SAGE’s Services
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SAGE is funded through various avenues: federal grants, private donations, and
partnerships with organizations committed to LGBTQ+ and elder advocacy. Federal funding
provides the needed resources for the operation of SAGE, and with such funding, the
organization is able to offer free or low-cost services to community members (Kneale et al.,
2020). Private grants and donations also allow SAGE to continue offering and expanding its
services, such as establishing additional SAGE Centers in underserved communities.
However, such dependence on governmental funding means that political changes can
drastically impact the ability of SAGE to offer services. For example, changes in policies that
protect LGBTQ+ people against discrimination in healthcare or housing affect the delivery of
services for LGBTQ+ elders (Kneale et al., 2020). Conversely, proposed and passed federal
legislative changes that protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination provide critical validation
and subroutine support for the mission of SAGE. On the other hand, non-protective legislation
regarding LGBTQ+ rights is a challenge for SAGE in terms of having to invest additional
resources to bridge the gaps in services and to fight off discriminatory practices.
SAGE also initiates active legislative advocacy to secure policies that support their
community. For instance, it was a key supporter of the proposed bill called the "Equality Act,"
which would give comprehensive anti-discrimination protections with respect to elder care
facilities throughout the country, among other things, to LGBTQ+ individuals (SAGE, 2021).
Such legislation would not only help further SAGE's mission but also extend the scope of
protection available to LGBTQ+ elders across the country.
SAGE’s Impact on Local Community Health and Safety
SAGE impacts the local LGBTQ+ aging communities by providing culturally competent
health and social services to meet the unique needs of this population. Local SAGE Centers
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provide wellness programs, mental health support, social events, and educational workshops for
LGBTQ+ older adults that create a pattern of overall well-being (Hughes et al., 2022). Such
centers act as a safe space for LGBTQ+ elders to connect with peers and access services without
fear of discrimination.
One example is the work of SAGE in New York City, which has established multiple
centers that offer everything from HIV support groups to mental health counseling. These will
make sure the unique health and safety needs of LGBTQ elders are met, including mental health,
chronic disease management, and support for HIV-positive seniors, among so much more.
Operating on all dimensions of elder care, SAGE achieves both improved health outcomes and
an increase in quality of life for LGBTQ+ older adults in the community.
Nurses can play an important role in supporting SAGE’s mission by participating in its
advocacy and outreach programs. For example, they can voluntarily go to their local SAGE
Centers and offer health screenings and education to LGBT elders (Hughes et al., 2022). Nurses
can also support SAGE's efforts through advocacy for culturally competent care within their
institutions and contributing to awareness campaigns where the health needs of LGBTQ elders
are underlined (Hughes et al., 2022). By doing so, nurses can find themselves at the core of
bridging the gap in healthcare and facilitating inclusive policymaking for elder care.
Conclusion
Advocacy & Services for LGBTQ+ Elders (SAGE) is one example of the role a nonprofit
can and does play in the betterment of public health and safety, equal opportunity, and quality of
life of underserved communities. The organization addresses some very unique needs that help
improve overall mental and physical health outcomes among LGBTQ+ elders by reducing social
isolation and bringing into effect important policy changes. Guided by the motivation that
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LGBTQ+ older adults need to age with dignity and respect, the organization comprehensively
covers services in the nexus between its mission and vision. SAGE continues to create a
supportive environment through its partnerships, funding, and policy advocacy to promote
health, safety, and wellbeing within LGBTQ+ elder communities.
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References
Ayhan, C. H. B., Bilgin, H., Uluman, O. T., Sukut, O., Yilmaz, S., & Buzlu, S. (2020). A
Systematic Review of the Discrimination against Sexual and Gender Minority in Health
Care Settings. International Journal of Health Services, 50(1), 44–61. Sage Journals.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731419885093
Hughes, T. L., Jackman, K., Dorsen, C., Arslanian-Engoren, C., Ghazal, L., Christenberry-
deceased, T., Lance Coleman, C., Mackin, M., Moore, S. E., Mukerjee, R., Sherman, A.,
Smith, S., & Walker, R. (2022). How can the nursing profession help reduce sexual and
gender minority related health disparities: Recommendations from the national nursing
LGBTQ health summit. Nursing Outlook, 70(3).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2022.02.005
Kneale, D., Henley, J., Thomas, J., & French, R. (2020). Inequalities in Older LGBT people’s
Health and Care Needs in the United Kingdom: a Systematic Scoping Review. Ageing
and Society, 41(3), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x19001326
Lampe, N. M., Barbee, H., Tran, N. M., Bastow, S., & McKay, T. (2023). Health Disparities
Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Older Adults: A Structural
Competency Approach. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development,
98(1), 009141502311718-009141502311718.
https://doi.org/10.1177/00914150231171838
SAGE. (2020). Advocacy & services for LGBTQ+ elders. SAGE. https://www.sageusa.org/
SAGE. (2021). Get The Facts: Equality Act. SAGE. https://www.sageusa.org/get-the-facts-
equality-act/
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SAGE. (2022). SAGE’s mission and core values.
https://www.sageusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SAGE-Mission-Core-Values-
2022.pdf
