LGBT Retirement Communities in Pittsburgh
The Steel City shines as a retirement destination, especially for LGBT seniors. Pittsburgh regularly tops livable city lists thanks to its arts and culture, affordable housing, outdoor leisure options, and European-style cityscape. Pittsburgh has also earned a place on The Advocate’s 2014 Gayest Cities in America List, and Pennsylvania’s recognition of marriage equality makes the city appealing for couples who want legal protection for their housing, healthcare and estate-planning choices.
Senior services at SAGE Western Pennsylvania and GLCC
SAGE Western Pennsylvania offers senior services for LGBTQ community members at the Persad Center, which just moved into a brand new facility in the Lawrenceville area of Pittsburgh. At Persad, services include counseling, trans programs, and senior services such as resource referrals for quality of life issues, social programs and special events, and a friendly visitor program for homebound residents. SAGE Western Pennsylvania and the Persad Center also lead LGBT cultural competency training programs for care providers and offer advocacy for community members facing discrimination.
The Gay and Lesbian Community Center (GLCC Pittsburgh) maintains an extensive list of health and counseling referrals that can help residents find doctors, therapists, and other care providers attuned to LGBTQ issues.
Social options around Pittsburgh
This is the city that brought the world pop-art icon Andy Warhol, expat writer Gertrude Stein, and drag diva Sharon Needles, so it’s not a surprise that the local LGBT community is active and visible. Pittsburgh-area social opportunities for LGBT residents and allies include
- Recreational sports through the Steel City bowling and softball leagues and the Pittsburgh Pride winter bowling league
- Volunteer opportunities at GLCC and through Gay for Good Pittsburgh
- Arts appreciation and performance with Renaissance City Choir and the Pittsburgh Gay and Lesbian Film Society, which sponsors the annual ReelQ LGBT Film Festival
- Monthly social events for mature gay men and friends with Pittsburgh Prime Timers and
- Game and craft nights at GLCC, along with the popular monthly OUTrageous Bingo to raise money for Shepherd Wellness Community’s HIV/AIDS services.
Big LGBT events in Pittsburgh
Besides all these regular gatherings, Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ community hosts a couple of big annual events that draw a crowd. The ReelQ film festival has been screening the latest and best in LGBT cinema each year since 1985. Pittsburgh Pride serves up dancing, top-tier live music, a 5K fun run, and a street fair that draws more than 90,000 revelers.
Pittsburgh housing options
People hoping to retire in Pittsburgh on a budget are in luck. The city made AARP’s 2012 list of 10 Best Places to Live on $100 a Day, based on affordable fun and relatively low median home prices.
If homeownership isn’t the goal, there are more than 200 assisted living communities in Pittsburgh and several dozen in-home care agencies to help with tasks at home. Among the local senior communities is The Devonshire of Mt. Lebanon, a winner of the 2015 Best of Assisted Living Award from SeniorAdvisor.com.
Learn more about Pittsburgh Senior Living here:
Pittsburgh Low-Income Senior Housing
Best of Pittsburgh Senior Living
How Much Does Pittsburgh Assisted Living Cost?
How Much Do Pittsburgh Nursing Homes Cost?
Find assisted living in Pittsburgh near you.
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.
