LGBT Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities
Key Findings from the Survey Fear of Being Out and Vulnerable Survey Question: Do you feel that an LGBT older adult can be open with the staff of a nursing home, assisted living facility, or other long-term care facility about his/her sexual orientation and/or gender identity? When asked whether LGBT older adults could be open with facility staff, only 22 percent of LGBT respondents answered “yes.” A smaller share of respondents, who did not identify as LGBT older adults, responded “yes,” as the table shows. LGBT Older Adults Number Percent
No or not sure Yes All responses
218
78%
60 22% 278
100%
Non-LGBT Older Adults Number Percent
390
84%
76 16% 466
100%
Quotes from Survey Respondents: Within the next two weeks I will be going into assisted living. Due to my financial situation, I will have to share a room with another man. The thought of going back into a closet is making me ill. Frankly, I’m afraid of telling anyone that I’m gay. —Anonymous, 73 years old, Sylmar, CA Of the 289 service providers who answered the survey, 247 felt that LGBT older adults were not safe coming out or were not sure that they should come out. I’ve not known anyone in a facility who has stated their alternative sexual orientation, which says a lot in itself. —Katheryn J. C., 49 years old, MSW, Dept. of Social Services, Ashland, VA
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