SAGE and HRC receives Diversity Equity & Inclusion Award at On Aging Conference
SAGE has announced that they and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) have been selected as the recipients of the American Society on Aging’s (ASA) DEI Award at this year’s On Aging 2023 conference in Atlanta, GA.
On Aging is the largest multidisciplinary conference in the aging field and hosted more than 1,500 diverse aging professionals from across the country from March 27 – 30.
The ASA award recognizes leadership and excellence in DEI through SAGE and HRCF’s impact on addressing systemic inequities in health and wellness. SAGE and HRCF were selected from more than 5,000 nominations for their work improving the experiences of LGBTQ+ elders as they seek long-term care and services through the Long-Term Care Equality Index (LEI).
First released in 2021, the LEI is an assessment tool that encourages and helps residential long-term care communities to adopt policies and best practices that provide culturally competent and responsive care to LGBTQ+ older people. More than just an assessment, the LEI also provides resources and technical assistance to bring these policies and practices to life.
“As the world’s largest LGBTQ+ aging organization, we are honored to receive the American Society on Aging’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award with our partner, the HRC Foundation,” said SAGE’s CEO Michael Adams, “Inclusive and equitable care is crucial for LGBTQ+ elders, and that’s what the Long-Term Care Equality Index is all about. We strongly believe that the LEI helps both LGBTQ+ elders and the providers who take responsibility for their care.”
Adams continued, “we know that this initiative is particularly important to our most vulnerable community members – including LGBTQ+ elders of color, trans elders, and those living in rural areas who face discrimination and inadequate care not only because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, but also bias and health disparities rooted in race, ethnic identity, and socioeconomic status.”
“The HRC Foundation’s Health & Aging team, alongside our partner SAGE, continue leading the way to ensure that LGBTQ+ folks are welcomed, feel safe, and included in long-term care and senior housing,” said Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson, “This recognition from the American Society on Aging is not only well deserved, it also uplifts the everyday impact of this crucial work on our community.
By 2030, we’ll have about seven million LGBTQ+ adults over age 50 in the U.S. Our goal is for every LGBTQ+ person to grow old with dignity and to access the care they need without discrimination or bias. We look forward to continuing this critical work with SAGE.”
In addition to receiving the DEI Award, Adams will also lead a program that will fire up the audience during the conference. Ending Ageism and Ableism Together—A Call to Action from Authors and Advocates, sponsored by SAGE and featuring Ashton Applewhite, Christina Peoples, Elizabeth White, Tracey Gendron, and moderated by Janine Vanderburg, will deconstruct the systemic oppression created through societal stigmas around aging and ableism and share strategies for disrupting these inequities.
SAGE says they look forward to engaging with new partners working to achieve a high quality of life for all LGBTQ+ older people everywhere and will be conducting 8 panels throughout the conference in addition to Adams’ keynote speech.
Learn more about SAGE’s work at sageusa.org.
About SAGE
SAGE is the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers.
SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ+ elders, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBTQ+ community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging, and cultural competency training through SAGECare.
Learn more at sageusa.org.
