What Is The Project?
In 2023, Capitol Hill Village began a project focused on LGBT inclusion among long-term care communities in the DC area, starting with CCRCs. CCRC is the abbreviation for Continuing Care Retirement Community, the definition from AARP is "a long-term care option for older people who want to stay in the same place through different phases of the aging process."
In 2024, we plan to expand the project to focus on other types of long-term care communities, specifically assisted living communities and nursing homes. The National Council on Aging defines assisted living communities as "a type of residence for older adults who need daily care, but not as much care as a skilled nursing home provides", and nursing homes as "residential communities for adults needing ongoing, skilled care that can no longer be provided at home or in an assisted living facility."
LGBT+ elders are often invisible both to the systems designed to help people as they age and their own community. This is harmful both because it dismisses the lived experiences of people and because LGBT+ older adults can be uniquely vulnerable to exploitation, discrimination, and harassment. Aging is an undeniable part of life. If we seek to improve the lives of LGBT+ people, we must take into account the experiences of LGBT+ older adults. Each resource in this section details the needs of LGBT+ older adults.
2023 Continuing Care Retirement Community Survey and Results
In February of 2023, we surveyed DC LGBT residents 50 years and older to learn more about the experiences, challenges, and concerns of LGBT older adults as it relates to aging and CCRCs. On March 29th we hosted a discussion of the survey results, their implications, and the project’s next steps.
CCRC Survey Brief
Senior Living Project Events
March 2024-Finding A LGBT Inclusive Care Community Panel
Finding a senior living community is never an easy task. It can become exponentially more difficult when you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Knowing the right questions to ask about healthcare, policies, and bigotry can be just as difficult as getting the answers. On March 21st, Capitol Hill Village hosted a panel about what to look out for, who to talk to, and how to find the best place for an individual's needs.
Our panelists were Lisa Friedman, a residential care specialist, Ames Simmons, LGBTQ policy consultant, and Makeda Vanderpuije, executive director at LeadingAge DC.
March 2023-Survey Data Party
July 2023-Info Session On DC Law 23-154
November 2023-Listen and Learn: Panel On LGBT+ Inclusion In CCRCs
Compiled below are resources that may be useful for LGBT+ elders who currently are or are intending to live in a care community in the future.
Fact Sheet LGBT Residents Rights in Nursing Homes
While there is a lot of work to be done to fully protect LGBT+ older adults, that does not mean that LGBT+ elders have no rights at this moment. Listed here are protections for LGBT+ older adults specifically in nursing homes.
Capitol Hill Village is far from the first organization to realize the importance of the needs of LGBT+ elders. Below are a variety of studies and papers that delve into the unique needs and circumstances of LGBT+ elders and potential solutions for the issues they face.