LGBT Senior Services in Houston
Houston has a lot going for it — lively museum and theater districts, an intriguing mix of cultures from around the world, and an LGBT community that reflects Houston’s varied and vibrant character. For LGBT seniors, life in Houston presents a full menu of social options, service opportunities, and support.
LGBT life in Montrose and beyond
The Montrose neighborhood was for many years the hub of LGBT life in Houston. These days, there’s still plenty of nightlife as well as important resources for community members. The Montrose Center offers health and wellness services, volunteer opportunities, and special services just for the senior LGBT community.
The center’s SPRY (Seniors Preparing for Rainbow Years) program offers discounted counseling and case management services as well as free men’s and women’s groups, classes, and social activities such as potluck dinners, movie days, and day trips. The Montrose Diner is open 3 days a week at the center to serve free, hot lunches and social time to seniors age 60 and up. Reservations are encouraged.
Seniors who want to live near Montrose will find several retirement options within a few minutes’ drive. Among these are the Forum at Memorial Woods high rise apartments and the Brookdale Galleria.
A tradition of transgender community in Houston
Houston is home to the Transgender Foundation of America, founded in 2001. TFA offers counseling, hosts events, and maintains links with other local transgender groups like the Houston Transgender Unity Community, which hosts the popular annual Unity Banquet to raise money for local LGBT causes.
Creative opportunities in the Houston LGBT community
For post-career seniors who finally have time to pursue the trumpet or work on those dance moves, opportunities for fun and performances abound. The Houston Pride Band has been playing together since 1978 and is open to musicians of all levels. Weekly rehearsals are followed by dinner and drinks, and the band performs at venues around Houston.
Seniors with a more dramatic flair — or who just love to let the good times roll — may be interested in the Krewe of Olympus, one of the country’s largest majority-gay Mardi Gras krewes. Fundraisers for local charities, parade float building, and, of course, the Mardi Gras Ball are the big events for krewe members.
LGBT nightlife in Houston
An evening out in Montrose can be keyed up or completely mellow. George Country Sports Bar is the place to watch football with friends, enjoy a few beers, and maybe drop by again on a weekend afternoon for a tailgate party and cookout. Drag shows and drinks on the patio are the order of the evening at JR’s. Darts, big-screen sports, and community events are always on tap at Ripcord, the oldest leather bar in Texas.
A Texas-size pride celebration
The annual Houston Pride Week in June draws more than 400,000 revelers for a parade, live music, a family fun area with face-painting and crafts, and more. Starting in 2015, Pride Week activities are moving to downtown from Montrose, to give the event room to grow and to allow fun new features like fireworks at the conclusion of the parade.
Learn more about Houston Senior Living here:
How Much Does Houston Assisted Living Cost?
How Much Do Houston Nursing Homes Cost?
Find more LGBT-friendly assisted living in Houston on SeniorAdvisor.com.
Casey Kelly-Barton
Casey Kelly-Barton is an Austin-based freelance writer whose childhood was made awesome by her grandmothers, great-grandmother, great-aunts and -uncles, and their friends.