{"id":73799,"date":"2018-12-13T14:52:08","date_gmt":"2018-12-13T20:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=73799"},"modified":"2018-12-21T11:23:16","modified_gmt":"2018-12-21T17:23:16","slug":"senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/","title":{"rendered":"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Colleen Zewe<\/strong>
\nMedill Reports<\/em><\/p>\n

When searching for a senior housing facility, most people ask the standard questions: What are the meals like?\u00a0 What are the costs?<\/p>\n

But for LGBT people, the process becomes more complicated because they have to consider how LGBT-friendly the home is. Luckily, new diversity trainings for senior homes can help staff treat LGBT residents with respect and dignity.<\/p>\n

Older LGBT people often face discrimination, especially in senior housing. LGBT senior Marsha Wetzel said she faced harassment and violence in her Niles nursing home and is now seeking legal redress. And in 2014, the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging Found<\/a> that 46 percent of same-sex couples confronted adverse and differential treatment \u2013 ranging from gossip to violence- in their senior housing facilities.
\n<\/p>\n

But older LGBT people are more likely to be single and without children, forcing them to move into a home so they can receive care and not feel alone. With these shocking statistics and news stories about how LGBT people are treated in homes, it\u2019s no surprise that 33 percent<\/a> of LGBT seniors fear they would have to hide their sexuality in a nursing home.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Senior-specific LGBT programming, such as the lunches hosted at the Center on Addison, can help LGBT seniors feel connected to the community. (Photo c\/o the Center on Halsted)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In response to this fear, many senior housing facilities have put time and energy into becoming more LGBT-friendly. SAGECare<\/a> offers trainings on support older LGBT adults for businesses, nonprofits and housing facilities. In June, Evanston\u2019s The Merion<\/a>, at 1611 Chicago Ave., used SAGECare to become Illinois\u2019s first certified LGBT-friendly senior housing facility.<\/p>\n

It all began right after Marsha Wetzel’s case went to court in January 2016.\u00a0 Merion social worker Anne Ryan and marketing coordinator RJ Alban \u00a0brought up the idea of doing this training to their boss. Ryan thought it would be a good idea after \u00a0Marsha Wetzel\u2019s case, and Alban feels passionate about LGBT advocacy work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI brought it up in the context of a meaning, what some of the constituencies we can go after?\u201d Alban said. \u201cI myself am a gay man, and I am a proud social justice warrior. I wear that label unabashedly.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a gay man himself, Alban knows that being LGBT \u201cis a difficulty enhancer.\u201d Because of his job with the Merion, he became very involved with the older LGBT community in Chicago, and realized this group needed more advocates fighting for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t in a group of people that have a lot of people fighting for them,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are tons of people fighting for young, 20-year-old LGBT people. And those people need people fighting for them. I\u2019m not saying it\u2019s a zero-sum game. There\u2019re very few people focused on the elderly, and SAGE is.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Merion brought in SAGECare professionals for a day, and staff learned about the unique needs of the LGBT elder community and how to best meet those needs.<\/p>\n

Alban used the word \u201cqueer\u201d as an example. Many young LGBT people have reclaimed queer as an identity, but for many older LGBT people, the word still has negative connotations associated with its history as a slur. It’s not appropriate in a senior housing community, he said.<\/p>\n

In their training, the Merion staff learned how to ensure residents treat each other with respect. They hope this will make community spaces, such as the gym, a welcoming place for all. (The Merion)<\/p>\n

Alban also said allies and senior care workers should consider the idea that, for LGBT people, family doesn\u2019t always mean relatives. Because same-sex marriage was not legalized for so long, and because LGBT people sometimes don\u2019t receive support from the immediate family, many consider their friends and social connections as their family, rather than their blood relatives.<\/p>\n

The Merion also reconsidered the wording on their application forms. Many older LGBT people never married since country-wide same-sex marriage wasn\u2019t legal until 2015, but still lived in a domestic partnership with the same person for many years. Asking if someone is single or married, or for the name of their spouse, may exclude the LGBT community.<\/p>\n

The Merion expanded marketing materials to be more LGBT-friendly by showing more than just the straight couple in their brochures, and instead showing same-sex companions. Alban said the same-sex people on their marketing materials could be partners or they could be friends. It doesn\u2019t matter because their facility welcomes everyone.<\/p>\n

Alban said he thinks most residents there accept all lifestyles and tend to be more open because it is not a rural area. But thanks to their training, he thinks the staff feels better-prepared to deal with resident-to-resident harassment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we would is simply remind that everyone has a right to live here with dignity, and if you cannot abide that, you yourself are not welcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In addition to the Merion, other housing options in Chicago include Town Hall Apartments<\/a> in Lakeview. Designed to house only LGBT elders, the complex differs from the Merion in that it\u00a0 offers low-income housing. It gives LGBT elders a home where they can feel accepted. It\u2019s a partnership between anti-poverty group Heartland Alliance and the Center on Halsted<\/a>,\u00a0a LGBT community center.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Town Hall Apartments, for senior living, is located in Boystown, right in between the Center on Halsted and the Center on Addison, so residents have easy access to those resources as well. (Colleen Zewe\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Don Bell, a 79-year-old retired college administrator, lives in Town Hall Apartments and said he believes the community there helps him stay socially engaged. He said social disengagement is the biggest concern for all senior populations, because staying connected helps keep the brain sharp and keeps quality of life high. With socializing, people experience a “failure to fly,” he said.<\/p>\n

For older LGBT people in particular, Bell believes the biggest threat is having to go back into the closet. He said they often face institutions, both residential and medical, where they do not feel safe identifying as LGBT. However, going back in the closet can make one feel like they can\u2019t be themselves<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may not receive the same services as other people if you identify yourself as LGBT plus,\u201d he said. \u201cYou might suffer that sense of isolation because you are not part of the community that surrounds you.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Town Hall Apartments, he appreciates the ability to be out and proud, and that he can remain part of the LGBT community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a place where it\u2019s okay for LGBT plus to be themselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Center on Halsted\u2019s senior services<\/a> director Britta Larson plans events at their senior space on 806 W. Addison Street to connect and engage the elder community. They do social events, lunches, educational classes such as genealogy, and wellness programs such as blood pressure checks and yoga class. Larson said the wellness programs are especially important because of the health disparities LGBT elders face.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Center on Addison is a space where seniors can express their identity without feeling discriminated against. Resident Don Bell said that most of the residents are LGBT, and there are some straight allies living there as well. (Colleen Zewe\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThey are more likely to drink, more likely to smoke, and more likely to have mental health challenges, and all of that can be tied to marginalized populations and unhealthy coping mechanisms,\u201d Larson said.<\/p>\n

She noted that because gay bars are one of the primary ways LGBT people meet each other, they can be at high-risk for developing alcohol problems.<\/p>\n

Bell attends the senior events on Addison and appreciates the chance to not feel like he has to filter himself, and finds that events guard him from social isolation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to hide my identity. I don\u2019t have to code what I\u2019m saying. People will understand what I\u2019m saying, and they will understand the context,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Alban believes these unique needs meant SAGECare was the best option for the Merion, rather than LGBT training meant to apply to people of all ages.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The Center on Halsted markets itself as a “comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland,” including elders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cPeople might say, \u2018why can\u2019t you just use a generic LGBTQ training?\u201d he said. \u201cThe needs and life experiences of LGBT elders are very different from the experience kids are going through now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alban said Larson and the Center on Halsted have been a great resource for the Merion in striving to become more LGBT friendly, and that Larson \u201cwelcomed [the Merion] into the fight with open arms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larson said that in the future, she hopes to reach more diverse populations and new areas of Chicago. She wants to reach more transgender people and more people of color.<\/p>\n

Still, she believes that despite the social and health disparities they face, the senior LGBT Chicagoans face aging with strength and positivity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are not shy about what we\u2019re doing well and what we\u2019re not doing well,\u201d she said. \u201cThis population is very outspoken and very resilient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo at top: Many of Chicago’s LGBT senior resources are in Boystown, including the Center on Addison, a community center, and Town Hall Apartments, offering independent living for seniors. (Colleen Zewe\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Also read on Medill Reports:\u00a0 After facing violence in her senior living facility, LGBT woman goes to court<\/a>, by Colleen Zewe.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Colleen Zewe Medill Reports When searching for a senior housing facility, most people ask the standard questions: What are the meals like?\u00a0 What are the costs? But for LGBT people, the process becomes more complicated because they have to consider how LGBT-friendly the home is. Luckily, new diversity trainings for senior homes can help […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":506,"featured_media":73801,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,4447,28,29,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-fall-2018","category-general-interest","category-health-and-science","category-public-affairs"],"yoast_head":"\nSenior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Colleen Zewe Medill Reports When searching for a senior housing facility, most people ask the standard questions: What are the meals like?\u00a0 What are the costs? But for LGBT people, the process becomes more complicated because they have to consider how LGBT-friendly the home is. Luckily, new diversity trainings for senior homes can help […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-12-13T20:52:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-12-21T17:23:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"733\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"colleenzewe2019\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"colleenzewe2019\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"colleenzewe2019\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7a8b3af27a558cbb387ea37f1834cd89\"},\"headline\":\"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-13T20:52:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-12-21T17:23:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1629,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/s3.amazonaws.com\\\/medill.wordpress.offload\\\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business\",\"Fall 2018\",\"General Interest\",\"Health and Science\",\"Public Affairs\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/\",\"name\":\"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders - Medill Reports Chicago\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/s3.amazonaws.com\\\/medill.wordpress.offload\\\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-12-13T20:52:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-12-21T17:23:16+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7a8b3af27a558cbb387ea37f1834cd89\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/s3.amazonaws.com\\\/medill.wordpress.offload\\\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/s3.amazonaws.com\\\/medill.wordpress.offload\\\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg\",\"width\":1100,\"height\":733,\"caption\":\"At Boystown's Center on Halsted's senior center, the Center on Addison, LGBT elders can express their pride and remain connected to the LGBT community.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/\",\"name\":\"Medill Reports Chicago\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7a8b3af27a558cbb387ea37f1834cd89\",\"name\":\"colleenzewe2019\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e762893a3d561bcaa1c549c4e038c81fe352e7d087021c81afcb1b80fb00c91?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e762893a3d561bcaa1c549c4e038c81fe352e7d087021c81afcb1b80fb00c91?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e762893a3d561bcaa1c549c4e038c81fe352e7d087021c81afcb1b80fb00c91?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"colleenzewe2019\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/author\\\/colleenzewe2019\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders - Medill Reports Chicago","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders - Medill Reports Chicago","og_description":"By Colleen Zewe Medill Reports When searching for a senior housing facility, most people ask the standard questions: What are the meals like?\u00a0 What are the costs? But for LGBT people, the process becomes more complicated because they have to consider how LGBT-friendly the home is. Luckily, new diversity trainings for senior homes can help […]","og_url":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/","og_site_name":"Medill Reports Chicago","article_published_time":"2018-12-13T20:52:08+00:00","article_modified_time":"2018-12-21T17:23:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1100,"height":733,"url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"colleenzewe2019","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"colleenzewe2019","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/"},"author":{"name":"colleenzewe2019","@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/#\/schema\/person\/7a8b3af27a558cbb387ea37f1834cd89"},"headline":"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders","datePublished":"2018-12-13T20:52:08+00:00","dateModified":"2018-12-21T17:23:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/"},"wordCount":1629,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg","articleSection":["Business","Fall 2018","General Interest","Health and Science","Public Affairs"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/","url":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/","name":"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders - Medill Reports Chicago","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg","datePublished":"2018-12-13T20:52:08+00:00","dateModified":"2018-12-21T17:23:16+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/#\/schema\/person\/7a8b3af27a558cbb387ea37f1834cd89"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/12\/Webp.net-resizeimage-1.jpg","width":1100,"height":733,"caption":"At Boystown's Center on Halsted's senior center, the Center on Addison, LGBT elders can express their pride and remain connected to the LGBT community."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/senior-housing-facilities-in-chicago-creating-communities-for-lgbt-elders\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Senior housing facilities in Chicago: Creating communities for LGBT elders"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/#website","url":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/","name":"Medill Reports Chicago","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/#\/schema\/person\/7a8b3af27a558cbb387ea37f1834cd89","name":"colleenzewe2019","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e762893a3d561bcaa1c549c4e038c81fe352e7d087021c81afcb1b80fb00c91?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e762893a3d561bcaa1c549c4e038c81fe352e7d087021c81afcb1b80fb00c91?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e762893a3d561bcaa1c549c4e038c81fe352e7d087021c81afcb1b80fb00c91?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"colleenzewe2019"},"url":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/author\/colleenzewe2019\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/506"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73799"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73799\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}