June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate identity, community, and the people who have fought to live authentically at every age. At The Senior Alliance, that means celebrating the LGBTQ+ older adults we serve and the organizations working alongside us to make sure they can age with dignity, connection, and support.
For many people, Pride Month means parades, celebrations, and visibility. For LGBTQ+ older adults, it can mean something more layered.
Many LGBTQ+ older adults came of age when their identities were criminalized, pathologized, or simply erased. They navigated healthcare systems that didn’t see them, family structures that didn’t always accept them, and communities that weren’t always safe. Those experiences don’t disappear with age. They shape how people ask for help, whether they trust providers, and whether they feel welcome in the spaces meant to support them.
Pride Month is a moment to honor that history, celebrate how far the community has come, and recommit to the work still ahead. At The Senior Alliance, that commitment shows up year-round in the resources we connect people to, the partners we work alongside, and the care we take to make sure every older adult in our region knows they belong here.
Aging brings challenges for everyone. For LGBTQ+ older adults, some of those challenges are compounded by factors that are easy to overlook if you’re not looking for them.
LGBTQ+ older adults are twice as likely to live alone and four times less likely to have family caregivers compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers. Social isolation is already one of the most serious health risks facing older adults, and it hits harder when the support networks that others rely on simply aren’t there.
Healthcare is another barrier. Many LGBTQ+ older adults have experienced discrimination from providers and, as a result, delay or avoid care. For those who do enter nursing homes or assisted living facilities, some feel pressure to conceal their identity, sometimes called re-closeting, out of fear of mistreatment in settings that may not be affirming.
These aren’t edge cases. They’re the everyday reality for a significant portion of Michigan’s older adult population. Recognizing them is the first step toward doing something about them.
Affirming care isn’t a special accommodation. It’s what every person deserves.
MiGen, the Michigan LGBTQ+ Elders Network, is the state’s only nonprofit dedicated exclusively to LGBTQ+ adults aged 45 and older and to the people who love and care for them.
Founded more than 15 years ago as Gay Elders of Metro Detroit, MiGen has grown into a statewide organization with a presence in Detroit and Ferndale, through partnerships with Corktown Health and Affirmations. Their work spans a wide range of needs: housing and homelessness diversion, healthcare coordination, public benefits assistance, and social programming designed to build real community connection.
MiGen’s guiding belief is that every person has earned the right to age out loud, authentically, vibrantly, and with access to the support they need. That means not just providing services, but creating spaces where LGBTQ+ older adults feel seen, safe, and connected.
MiGen also works to make the broader aging services landscape more inclusive. As Michigan’s only provider of LGBTQ+ aging cultural competency training, they help aging service organizations across the state, including Area Agencies on Aging, better serve and support LGBTQ+ older adults with dignity and care.
To learn more or connect with MiGen’s services, visit migenconnect.org.
One of the ways The Senior Alliance and MiGen have put partnership into practice is through Downriver Sip & Chat events, social gatherings designed specifically for LGBTQ+ older adults in Southeast Michigan on the second Monday of every month at Kekoa Brew Co. Coffee Roasters, 22170 Allen Road, Woodhaven, MI 48183.
The concept is straightforward, and that’s exactly the point. Sip & Chat gives LGBTQ+ older adults a chance to be in a room with people who understand their experience, with no agenda or intake form, and to build community.
For older adults who may lack the family support networks that others lean on, or who have felt invisible or unwelcome in mainstream senior spaces, that kind of connection becomes a lifeline.
The Senior Alliance’s commitment to LGBTQ+ older adults doesn’t begin and end with Pride Month.
Our Resource Directory connects older adults and caregivers to affirming services across our region, including MiGen. Our Information & Assistance team can help navigate available programs, benefits, and supports and help find providers who will treat every person with the respect they deserve.
We’ve also made space for these conversations publicly. In Episode 52 of our Inside the Senior Alliance podcast, TSA’s Emma Case sat down with MiGen’s Kat Hutton to talk about MiGen’s mission, the unique challenges LGBTQ+ older adults face, and what it looks like when two organizations build something meaningful together. Give it a listen.
Being an inclusive Area Agency on Aging means making sure every person in our service area, regardless of identity, knows they have somewhere to turn.
Pride Month is a celebration, but it’s also a reminder.
MiGen exists because LGBTQ+ older adults deserve a community built specifically for them, one that sees them fully and supports them completely. The Senior Alliance exists to make sure everyone in our region has access to the resources, services, and connections they need to age well.
If you or someone you love is an LGBTQ+ older adult looking for connection, services, or affirming care, you don’t have to navigate it alone. The Senior Alliance is here. MiGen is here. And this community is stronger because of the people in it.
Aging out loud means having the support to do it. For more information, contact The Senior Alliance at 734-722-2830 or visit thesenioralliance.org. To connect with MiGen directly, visit migenconnect.org.
What services does MiGen offer LGBTQ+ older adults in Michigan?
MiGen provides a wide range of community-based supports for LGBTQ+ adults aged 45 and older, including housing and homelessness diversion, healthcare coordination, public benefits assistance, and social programming. They also offer community navigation services to help connect individuals with the resources they need.
To learn more or reach out directly, visit migenconnect.org or contact The Senior Alliance’s Information & Assistance team at 734-722-2830.
How can I find affirming senior services for an LGBTQ+ loved one?
The Senior Alliance’s Resource Directory is a good starting point, as it includes affirming providers and programs across our region, including MiGen. You can also call our Information & Assistance line at 734-722-2830, and our team can help identify services that are the right fit.
What is Downriver Sip & Chat, and how can I attend?
Downriver Sip & Chat is a monthly gathering for LGBTQ+ older adults in Southeast Michigan, held on the second Monday of every month at Kekoa Brew Co. Coffee Roasters, 22170 Allen Road, Woodhaven, MI 48183. Hosted through TSA’s partnership with MiGen, the events are designed to be low-key and welcoming—no agenda, no intake forms, just a chance to be in a room with people who understand your experience.
To find out about upcoming Sip & Chat events, contact The Senior Alliance at 734-722-2830 or visit migenconnect.org.
November marks National Family Caregivers Month, a time to honor the dedication and resilience of caregivers across the nation. This month is dedicated to raising awareness about the incredible contributions of caregivers, recognizing the challenges they face, and celebrating the invaluable support they provide.
As April is National Volunteer Month, we recognize and appreciate the backbone of The Senior Alliance— our volunteers. Their commitment and dedication are the driving force behind our mission to support older adults in our community.
From Person-Centered Options Counseling and Medicare Counseling through MI Options to in-home support programs, our goal is to make the process of long-term care planning easier to navigate, so older adults can continue living life their way.
