Updated/Revised Date: 20th Sep 2022
Author: Sexual Diversity | Contact: SexualDiversity.org
Additional References: LGBTQ+ Seniors Publications
Synopsis: News and Information for and about senior LGBTQ+ lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders.
More than 39 million people in the U.S. are 65 years or older, including 2.4 million people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). Psychological service providers and caregivers for older adults need to be sensitive to the histories and concerns of LGBT people and to be open-minded, affirming, and supportive towards LGBT older adults to ensure accessible, competent, and quality care. Although social isolation is often associated with loneliness, they are not the same. This document focuses on social isolation, not loneliness. Reaching out to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) seniors at risk of being socially isolated may reduce the risk of suffering poor health and poor quality of life. Caregivers for LGBT people may themselves face unique challenges, including accessing information and isolation.
Conservative estimates suggest that there are more than 3 million LGBT people age 55 and older in the U.S. - 1.5 million of whom are 65 and older. This over 65 segment will double in the next few decades as millions of Americans enter retirement age. Unfortunately, due to a lifetime of discrimination, many LGBT people age without proper community support, are in poor health, and are financially insecure. As a group, LGBT older adults experience unique economic and health disparities. LGBT older adults may disproportionately be affected by poverty and physical and mental health conditions due to a lifetime of unique stressors associated with being a minority and may be more vulnerable to neglect and mistreatment in aging care facilities.
Many retirement and health issues for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), and intersex people are unique from their heterosexual counterparts, and these populations often have to take extra steps addressing their employment, health, legal, and housing concerns to ensure their needs are met.
There are many problems facing elderly LGBT individuals. They tend to have less money and worse health and are much more likely to be alone than heterosexual people. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is discrimination in the form of shunning from family, friends, and/or coworkers.
LGBTI individuals are also less likely to have strong family support systems and relatives to care for them during aging. They are twice as likely to enter old age living as a single person and two and a half times more likely to live alone. Because institutionalized homophobia, cultural discrimination, and harassment still exist, they are less likely to access health care, housing, or social services or, when they do, find the experience stressful or demeaning.
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| Latest LGBTQ+ Seniors Publications | |
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The above information is from our reference library of material relating to LGBTQ+ Seniors that includes: | |
 | Aging Neutralizes Sex Differences in the Brain Aging implies reduced amounts of resources are available for reproduction and other activities for both sexes, but competition between males means the cost of increased investment is more significant than for females. Publish Date: 10th Aug 2022 - Updated: 5th Jan 2023 |
 | Senior LGB Suffer More Chronic Health Conditions than Heterosexual Women Study shows lesbian and bisexual older women more likely than heterosexual older women to suffer chronic health conditions, experience sleep problems and drink excessively. Publish Date: 24th Aug 2017 |
| Married LGBT Seniors are Healthier and Happier Than Singles Research finds married LGBT study participants report better physical and mental health, more social support and greater financial resources than singles. Publish Date: 1st May 2017 |
| New Findings Reveal Health and Aging Experiences of U.S. Senior LGBT Research revealed LGBT older adults are both resilient and at-risk, with higher rates of disability, cardiovascular disease, depression and social isolation. Publish Date: 13th Feb 2017 |
| PDA Efforts to Improve Aging Services for LGBT Seniors Training session to improve cultural competency inside aging services for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Publish Date: 28th Jan 2017 |
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Alphabetical list of gender identities.
2Transgender Reporting Guide
How to write about transgender people.
3Glossary of Sexuality Terms
Definitions of sexual terms & acronyms.
4Glossary of Sexual Identities
Definitions of gender related terms.
5Am I Gay? Questions to Ask
Think you may be gay or bisexual?
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• (APA): SexualDiversity.org. (2022, September 20). LGBTQ+ Seniors: Information and News Articles. SexualDiversity.org. Retrieved October 4, 2024 from www.sexualdiversity.org/sexuality/seniors/
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