FAQ

SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) older adults. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national nonprofit organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources for LGBT older adults and their caregivers and advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ+ older people. With offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, DC and Chicago, SAGE coordinates a growing network of 29 local SAGE affiliates in 21 states and the District of Columbia.

SAGECare is SAGE’s training and consulting division. Along with providing training and consulting on LGBTQ+ aging issues, SAGECare offers the added benefit that qualifying agencies may receive a national credential to highlight the percentage of staff trained.

Any agency that is trained by SAGE’s national organization is potentially eligible to receive a SAGECare credential.

A SAGECare credential signifies that a provider has completed specialized training on LGBTQ+ aging, delivered by SAGECare Leadership or Certified Trainers using SAGE-approved curricula. Credentialed agencies are listed on the SAGECare website and are authorized to display the SAGECare credential seal on their communications, marketing materials, and websites in accordance with the terms of a Licensing Agreement.

An agency wanting to earn a credential will need to work with SAGECare staff to execute the following, on an annual basis:

Employees include:

Any employee who is employed directly by the credentialed agency in either a part-time or full-time capacity who is not captured in the Executives/Administrators definition.

Executives/Administrators include:

Executive senior leadership such as: CEO, COO, CFO, Corporate Compliance Officer, Nursing Home Administrator, Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, Medical Director, and,  Directors such as: Social Services, Human Resources, Administrative Services, Resident Services (Coordinator or Director), Nursing, Activities/Programs, Admissions/Registration, In-Service Training, Facility Services, Courtesy Services, Health/Wellness/Nutrition, Marketing, Development, Community Liaison/Volunteer Coordinator

The 1-hour course can all be accessed:

Individual On-demand, Group live webinar or Group In-Person

The Leadership/Management Training provided:

Hybrid: mixture of individual on-demand and group live webinar

In-Person: 4-hour (1/2 day) facilitated in-person at your worksite by a SAGECare Certified Trainer.

SAGECare also has available a Trainer Certification Program.

Several factors influence the cost of SAGECare services, including staff size, geographic location, agency type, and other operational considerations. As a nonprofit social enterprise, SAGECare is committed to delivering exceptional, high-quality training and consulting services at competitive and accessible rates for agencies. Email [email protected] to learn more

SAGECare Credential is valid for 1-year. To continue credentialing each year:

For Employees: one-hour of training is required each year. There are several different specialized topics to choose from, that are update yearly.

For Executives/Administrators: They will complete the 1-hour staff training and also attend a 1-hour live webinar refresher on Best Practices.

SAGECare Platinum Agency Sample Recredentialing Schedule

Year 1

• 80% of all employees complete 1 hour of training.
• 80% of all executives/administrators complete leadership/management training.

Years 2 and 3

• 80% of all management and employees complete 1 hour of training.
• Plus, Leadership/Management participate in a 1-hour live webinar “Best Practices Refresher”

A credentialed agency may use the credential within a month of completing the requirements for a credential, and upon signing of the Licensing Agreement.

Note that SAGE reserves the right to revoke, or not grant, a credential if, under very unusual circumstances, SAGE does not deem the agency ready. In those rare instances, SAGE will be in close communication with the agency to collectively decide on steps to remedy the issue so that the agency may earn and display the credential.

The outcomes and impacts of SAGECare training are evaluated by an independent third party and have been shown to be highly effective in creating positive changes in participants’’ knowledge, attitudes and skills. However, no amount of training can ever guarantee that a person will always act in a certain way. So, while SAGECare training has strong indications of improving cultural competency, we cannot guarantee it.

When you’re providing person-directed care, you’re helping all of your community live authentically. It’s great for your community. And what’s great for your community members is great for business. Consider this:

• The LGBTQ+ market today has a combined purchasing power of $830+ billion
• 72% of the LGBTQ+ market feel it is extremely/very important to buy from “gay-friendly” companies
• The LGBTQ+ older adult population is expected to grow from ~3 million in 2015 to ~7 million by 2030
• While 80% of the general population rely on legal- or blood-related family members for caregiving, LGBTQ+ people are twice as likely to live alone and four times less likely to have children. Their reliance on long-term care services is potentially steep. Yet, when surveyed, nearly 9 out of 10 people feared discrimination in long-term care settings if providers knew their sexual orientation or gender identities.

Your mission is to serve people with the highest level of person-directed care. Treating everyone the same will only work if everyone is the same – with the same needs, concerns, hopes and fears. That approach usually doesn’t account for the critical and unique needs and concerns of many people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBTQ+) people. LGBTQ+ older adults may interact very differently with providers as a result of their histories, personal experiences, and life narratives — which are often very different from non-LGBTQ+ people.

When your staff understand the lived experiences of others, they will provide even more compassionate and truly person-directed care for your LGBTQ+ — and other diverse – community members.

Yes. SAGECare trainings are eligible to count towards the on-going LGBT education training requirement of the HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).  In order to receive HEI credit, the facility participating in the HEI survey must submit a training report from SAGE to HRC using this online submission form.

The SAGECare trainings, Leadership/Management Training and 1-hour staff training, “Creating Inclusive Communities for LGBTQ+ Older Adults,” meets the requirement of the Long-Term Care Equality Index (LEI), an assessment tool designed to help residential long-term care communities evaluate the extent to which they provide culturally competent care to LGBTQ+ older adults. After completing the LEI Self-Assessment, SAGECare offers a consulting package to help agencies review their results and connect with a SAGECare team member who can assist in implementing best practices identified through the assessment. Residential providers credentialed through SAGECare who wish to evaluate their policies and practices—and be recognized as leaders in LGBTQ+ inclusion—are encouraged to learn more at www.TheLEI.org.

Take a look here to see who has earned a SAGECare credential to date.