Gay Elders of Metro Detroit

SAGE Metro Detroit is a local affiliate of the national Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) older adults.

Our list of services and programs includes:

FRIENDLY CALLER PROGRAMS riendly Caller Program aims to increase community connections and social support for LGBTQ+ older adults ages 45 and up through weekly friendly calls. Participants are matched with someone and commit to at least one call per week for a four month period, with an emphasis on relationship building. To learn more about the Friendly Caller Program and how to get involved, email FriendlyCallerProgram@sagemetrodetroit.org. 

TRANSGENDER AGING & HEALTH PROJECT Funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, SAGE Metro Detroit’s Transgender Aging and Health Project aims to provide support to a vastly underserved population in metro Detroit, transgender older adults. This project will provide recruitment and training to volunteer health advocates who are able to accompany transgender and gender non-conforming (GNC) older adults to medical appointments to assist with advocacy, allyship, support, and resource connections. 

VIRTUAL SOCIALS A virtual event, SAGE Metro Detroit’s weekly SAGE Socials bring together LGBTQ+ older adults from across Michigan to learn and connect during instructional talks, performances and community discussions with special guests. Every Thursday at 11 a.m., SAGE Socials are free and open to the public via pre-registration: http://bit.ly/regvirtualsage. SECOND SUNDAYS ART PROGRAM A collaboration with Detroit’s Hannan Center, SAGE Metro Detroit’s monthly virtual artist talks see local artists share their personal artistic journeys, philosophies, and techniques, much to the delight of the growing number of art appreciators who regularly attend this program. This event is free and open to the public via pre-registration: http://bit.ly/SSAP1021 

TRAINING & EDUCATION Training and education services help professional caregivers and health care providers implement culturally affirming care for LGBTQIA+ older adults. In support of expanding community and lines of social support, SAGE Metro Detroit also offers resident workshops to increase knowledge and engage learners to become allies to LGBTQIA+ older adults. Both online modules and in-agency training are available and provide CEs in social work, nursing home administration and nursing. For more information about SAGE Metro Detroit’s training and education services, contact trainings@sagemetrodetroit.org. 

TECH PROGRAM Through this program, participants gain the comfort of internet browsing alone and receive tips on how to protect internet privacy from phishing, spam and age-related scams. For LGBTQIA+ older adults (ages 45 and up) looking to stay connected but don’t have the right tech hardware such as tablets and computers are available upon request with tutorials on using some of the most popular software programs today to communicate. For a limited time, we are also providing gift cards to help with the cost of internet access through the end of 2021. For more information, please contact techbuddy@sagemetrodetroit.org or call 734-681-0854. 

LGBTQIA+ INTERGENERATIONAL TIME BANK COLLABORATIVE The LGBTQIA+ Intergenerational Timebank Collaborative includes SAGE Metro Detroit, Michigan Alliance of TimeBanks, Affirmations, and Generations United and is funded by a grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. The LIT Collaborative aims to utilize the time banking model to create intentional connections and relationships between older and younger generations of our community, with a focus on providing culturally affirming support and care that enables LGBTQIA+ older adults to age with dignity. To learn more about participating in the LIT Collaborative, please contact info@sagemetrodetroit.org. 

LGBTQ OLDER ADULT SUMMIT SAGE Metro Detroit’s annual LGBTQ Older Adult Summit is one of the longest-running events focused on LGBTQ aging in the country. The Summit is our yearly check-in and check up on all of our advocacy for policy changes, community programs, events and services supported by SAGE Metro Detroit. The statewide event is also our chance to showcase all the ways in which agencies, organizations and businesses are supporting LGBTQ older adults. 

DETROIT ELDERS PROJECT Detroit Elders is a social support meeting that meets each month, the 3rd Thursday of the month from 5 to 7 p.m. Each month we take the opportunity to discuss and address issues specific to the LGBTQ+ Elder community, designed to educate and inform LGBTQ older adults and allies on topics ranging from behavioral health to physical health issues. 

RAINBOW RESOURCE GUIDE Published annually, the SAGE Metro Detroit Rainbow Resource Guide is a collective community resource featuring LGBTQ-affirming policies and procedures that have been extensively vetted by SAGE Metro Detroit.