How Pathstones by Phoebe is Making Strides for LGBTQ+ Seniors
Phoebe Ministries aims to create a culture free of discrimination for our aging population. The team at Pathstones by Phoebe faces unique challenges in maintaining this goal as our push for equitable care extends beyond campus lines.
Pathstones is a program that allows seniors who are not yet ready to move into a retirement home acquire the necessary coverage should their needs change. It combines the essential benefits of a retirement community, long-term care insurance (covering needs not typically met by regular insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid), and care management and delivers it right to your home.
Exceptional communication is paramount when interacting with current and potential clients. It is common for a Pathstones representative to meet with clients in their own homes. This creates a more intimate connection between members and Pathstones, which has helped the team adapt to better serve diverse populations.
With our LGBTQ+ community in mind, the Pathstones team officially became SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) Certified in 2021 and has proudly kept that title through recertification.
Cultural competency training provided through SAGE is primarily completed through online education and, “provides an overview of the needs, concerns, and unique history of LGBTQ+ older adults, as well as meaningful steps that teams can take to immediately improve the quality of services they provide,” as described on the SAGE website. SAGE helps Phoebe staff better support LGBTQ+ adults by highlighting potentially unmet needs, thus creating increasingly inclusive environments.
Lisa Hoffman, the Executive Director of Pathstones, quickly saw the importance of SAGE and its impact on Pathstones members and staff. Hoffman quickly decided that certification should be mandatory for Pathstones employees.
According to Hoffman, obtaining the certification was a no-brainer.”It’s just the right thing to do,” said Hoffman. Reaching out to this marginalized population and making meaningful connections is ultimately a net good for Phoebe, LGBTQ+ seniors, and the world.
Hoffman is aware of the historically documented friction that can exist between specific sects of various religious communities and the LGBTQ+ population. She recognizes how that might make some seniors reluctant to join a CCRC with a religious affiliation.
“When we look at LGBTQ+ seniors, they’re afraid to go into nursing homes,” said Hoffman. “Are they going to receive bias in their treatment? . . . [Having the choice] to stay in their home is important to them.”
According to Hoffman, the training was a success: “I thought it was eye-opening. We deal with people for life, and [your sexual identity] is who you are as a person. It does matter, so let’s talk about it.”
Donna Schudel, the Retirement Living Specialist at Pathstones, agrees that the SAGE training was an eye-opening experience.
“SAGE training helped put into perspective the challenges that the LGBTQ+ community has faced in health care, housing, and senior services in a new way for me,” said Schudel. “Humbling reminders about historical and present-day discrimination because of gender identity and sexual preference reaffirms the need for respectful conversations and interactions from our very first encounter with the seniors we serve until the end of their lives. Giving everyone the dignity they deserve is essential to Phoebe’s mission.”
To learn more about Pathstones and worry-free, at-home retirement, please visit pathstonesbyphoebe.org.
Phoebe wishes everyone a Happy Pride Month.
