This is an exciting moment for the LBGTQ+ community, with more people living open and authentic lives. For the first time, LGBTQ+ seniors are a visible and growing segment of the population, and more resources are available to meet their needs.

"That's why there are no precedents for what we are doing," says Morgann Chabra, Community Outreach & Enrollment Nurse at Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services, the first adult day program in the nation created with and for the LGBTQ+ community by On Lok and Openhouse, a nonprofit provider and leading voice for LGBTQ+ older adults in San Francisco. "On Lok is known for being a pioneer in senior program, and this one is no exception."

Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services offers nutritional meals, activities, socialization, assistance with personal care, and transportation to and from the center. Its participants call it Club 75 because here they find companionship, support, and the freedom to be their authentic selves.

"We intentionally focus on providing community engagement, which was the most pressing need identified by UCSF's Needs Assessment of LGBTQ Senior Health in San Francisco, in 2019." Morgann says. "This enables us to reach those who need us most- transgender elders, neurodivergent people, HIV survivors. Many are no longer connected to their biological relatives and have lost members of their acquired families; some have partners who are dealing with the challenges of aging themselves, and don't know where to turn for help. These folks feel they have benefited deeply from Club 75."

As an alternative care setting for On Lok PACE, Club 75 also supports seniors enrolled in On Lok PACE and is part of their care plan. With her experience as an RN and home health manager, Morgann can provide a clinical perspective when assessing participants' needs and interfacing with their healthcare providers, either within or outside of On Lok PACE.

"On Lok PACE benefits our participants in many ways that can be life-changing," says Su Waqa, Adult Day Program Manager, Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services. "And our staff's deep and personal involvement with the community we serve allows us to support PACE as a culturally affirming health model for all. We bring a narrative informed by firsthand experience, to help provide long-term care to people living with chronic conditions and HIV."

Every day at Club 75 reflects the complexities faced by LBGTQ+ people as they age- galvanizing staff members, partners, and stakeholders into groundbreaking research and collaborations. Su and Morgann see every challenge as an opportunity to develop best practices and training that can be integrated into healthcare systems and new models of care.

"If participants need help beyond the scope of the program, we connect deep within the community to find the right resources, through crucial partnerships such as with Openhouse and Shanti," Morgann says. "When you are building a model of care that did not exist before, without a lot of data and resources to guide you, you pursue what works best and everyone is engaged in evolving. We are like weavers, bringing different strands together to provide a continuum of care that is bigger than we alone."

Club 75 works closely with the Aging and Disability Resource Center and Case Management services at On Lok 30th Street Senior Center, and with local organizations, including the Community Tech Network to help LGBTQ+ seniors bridge the digital divide and combat isolation. The program has attracted national attention for its innovation, while continuing to expand enrollment.

"We are developing a caregiver curriculum for providers working with long-term HIV survivors and we have collaborated with the PACE behavioral health services team on training. We bring an intersectionality perspective to ensure staff have the knowledge and skills to provide long-term care and support to this audience," Su says.

As participation grows, Club 75 works to ensure that the program is accessible to all, regardless of ability to pay. "Club 75 has been created with sliding scale fees based on income, but there are seniors who can't afford even a couple of dollars a day," Morgann says. To include them, the program offers a limited number of scholarships, including one for HIV survivors. As more people apply for them, Club 75 is engaging resources and rallying the community to support its scholarship fund.

For the many who contribute to the program through their work, mission, or philanthropy, helping LGBTQ+ seniors out of isolation and into the community is personal:

"We want folks to know we are here for them," Morgann and Su say. "When you are part of Club 75, you are part of our family."