| SAGE Innovative Center for LGBT Seniors |
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| Friday, 02 March 2012 02:00 |
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The new SAGE Innovative Senior Center, New York City's first senior center to provide congregate and social services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender seniors, opened yesterday. The new center -- located at 305 7th Avenue -- will offer culturally sensitive programs geared to the special needs of LGBT individuals, who oftentimes feel socially isolated from their peers. A key resource for these seniors will be mental health programming to help ensure their emotional well-being. Other programming at the new Center will include nutritional meals, fitness classes, health and wellness seminars, arts and culture outings, technology classes, social events and volunteer opportunities. “In August 2009, Mayor Bloomberg outlined a bold vision for an Age-friendly NYC, one that would ensure not only a strong future for aging services but more opportunities and resources for seniors,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs. “The launch of SAGE’s LGBT senior center marks another milestone in addressing the needs of City’s 1.3 million older New Yorkers.” “LGBT seniors often do not feel comfortable in a traditional senior center setting and this launch of a LGBT senior center is another important step in making New York accessible and more age-friendly for all New Yorkers,” said NYC Department for the Aging (DFTA) Commissioner Barrios-Paoli. “We are grateful for the Mayor’s support of the innovative senior centers and very excited to launch the first innovative senior center in the nation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors. SAGE is a pioneer in addressing the needs of LGBT older New Yorkers, and I am confident that their robust programs will serve as a model for senior centers across the country.” “Opening The SAGE Center has been a dream for LGBT older people for many years,” said SAGE Executive Director Michael Adams. “SAGE is thrilled to partner with New York City's Department for the Aging to create more innovative programs that address the changing needs of LGBT older people. Through this initiative, we are committed to building program models that can be replicated in New York City and nationwide.” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn also participated in the opening ceremonies. In addition to the SAGE senior center, the other Innovative Senior Centers are Lenox Hill Neighborhood House and YM & YWHA in Manhattan; Bronxworks in the Bronx; Selfhelp Benjamin Rosenthal and SNAP in Queens; JCC of Staten Island; and, Visions, the first center in the nation to serve a blind and visually impaired senior population.
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