Assisted Living

70th AHCA/NCAL Convention and Expo

AL-3 - Creating Allies to Advance LGBT Inclusion

Speaker(s)

• 

  Tim Johnston, PhD

  Senior Director of National Projects
  SAGE

  Disclosure: Nothing to Disclose

Many communities have started training their staff regarding LGBT inclusion and changing various policies and programming to be more inclusive—but what about addressing the residents? Though a cultural shift is taking place with staff, LGBT older adults may fear isolation, unfriendliness, and other pushback from non-LGBT residents. In this session, we will go beyond damage control and consider how non-LGBT residents can become change agents and help create a welcoming environment for everyone. Join a representative from SAGE, the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit dedicated to LGBT aging, as we share concrete strategies for engaging your entire community in the conversation about sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, with the goal of creating communities in which LGBT residents, family, friends, and non-LGBT residents feel seen, respected, and welcome.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe concrete strategies for discussing LGBT inclusion with non-LGBT residents, including responses to common pushback and frequently asked questions.
• Communicate that LGBT inclusion benefits everyone in the community, not just LGBT residents.
• Extend these conversations into opportunities for deeper engagement and activism around LGBT rights and other social justice topics.