Skip to content
Elder Law Prof Blog
Katherine C. Pearson, Editor, and a Member of the Law Professor Blogs Network on LexBlog.com

LGBTQI Report from AARP

By rmorgan

AARP research has released a new report, Maintaining Dignity:Understanding and Responding to the Challenges Facing Older LGBT Americans.

Here are some of the key findings in the report:

More lesbians than gay men are living with a partner or are married.  Gay men may be more isolated than lesbians.

Bisexuals age 45 and over are less likely to be “out” and can be harder to reach with general LGBT outreach compared to lesbians, gay men, and transgender community members.

The gender expansive community faces unique challenges and increased fear of discrimination.

Black and Latino LGBT Americans are more concerned about multiple forms of discrimination and negative outcomes as they age.

The three biggest aging concerns of LGBT Americans age 45-plus: “family and/or social supports to rely on as they age,”  lack of ” access to LGBT-specific senior services….” and “long-term care.”

LGBT participants are largely satisfied with their current healthcare relationships, but also fear discrimination and prejudice.

Any action to intentionally affirm LGBT adults by long term care providers and facilities can improve patient comfort and quality of care.

With all the concerns facing LGBT people, those age 45 and over are still “mostly” optimistic if they are living in an LGBT-friendly community.

LGBT community members often have a broad social support network,but can be surprisingly weak in having support from their family.

LGBT older Americans live in all sizes of cities, towns, suburbs and rural areas, but they seek out LGBT-friendly local communities, even within more conservative regions of the country.

Though small communities are far less likely to provide access to LGBT-specific health or senior services, community size is less important than a community’s perceived LGBT-friendliness in determining if a person feels supported.

Older LGBT community members are also parents and grandparents.

There is some fear of housing discrimination among older LGBT adults.

The 57 page report may be downloaded as a pdf here.