Dignity is a word people like to use when talking about the
elderly. People age with dignity and die with dignity. What happens when a
member of the LGBT community ages? Is there any dignity in being an elderly
LGBT American? Imagine trying to feel dignified when the state makes your
decisions for you. Imagine clinging to your dignity when the government takes
away your property, your partner and your life.
The following are some general facts gathered by SAGE
(serving and advocating for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender elders):
Recent estimates suggest that there are at least 1.5 million
lesbians, gay and bisexual people 65 and older in the US, and this population
will double by the year 2030. These figures are based on an estimate from
UCLA’s Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and the Law the 3.8 percent of
Americans identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. However, measuring the number
of LGBT people is difficult, given the undercounting caused by factors such as
stigma, underreporting and methodological barriers, such as inconsistent
question formats.
Many LGBT older adults deal with poverty and with reduced
economic security. For LGBT older adults, a lifetime of employment
discrimination and other factors contributes to disproportionately high poverty
rates. One study found that same-sex elder couples face higher poverty rates
than their heterosexual peers; 9.1% and 4.9% between elder lesbian and gay
couples, respectively, in contrast to 4.6% among elder heterosexual couples.
LGBT older people deal with significant health disparities
across areas related to physical and mental health, including high blood
pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease HIV/AIDS and more—as well as
with serious mental health concerns. According to a 2011 national health study,
more than half of the respondents have been told by a doctor that they have
depression, 39% have seriously thought of suicide; and 53% feel isolated from
others.
Social isolation affects many LGBT older people around the
country as they deal with stigma and discrimination in their daily lives and in
our country’s aging system. The primary risk factors for social isolation
affect LGBT older adults in unique and disproportionate ways. For example, one
primary risk factor is living alone. LGBT older people are twice as likely to
live alone, twice as likely to be single, and 3-4 times less likely to have
children—and many are estranged from their biological families.
Many mainstream aging providers do not account for the
unique realities and needs of LGBT older adults, leaving them at risk for
isolation, neglect and discrimination. A recent national survey of LGBT older
adults in long-term care facilities found that only 22% of respondents felt
they could be open about their LGBT identities with facility staff, 89%
predicted that staff would discriminate based on their sexual orientations
and/or gender identities, and 43%reported instances of mistreatment.
LGBT-inclusive aging services help offset these problems by
providing spaces for LGBT elders to find community and support—but they are
sparse and underfunded. A 2010 nationwide survey of 320 area and state units on
aging found that less than 8% offered services targeted to LGBT older adults
and only 12% reported outreach efforts to this population.
Aging LGBT people also face financial issues. A report by
the Movement Advancement Project titled Improving The Lives Of LGBT Older
Adults states that LGBT seniors are poorer than heterosexual seniors are. LGBT
seniors have more problems for a variety of reasons. First, many members of the
LGBT community lose money due to the lack of Medicaid protections. Medicaid has
spousal improverishment protections for married couples. These protections
allow the healthy spouse to maintain a high enough income to live
independently, while the other spouse receives Medicaid to pay for long-term
care. Since the LGBT community cannot receive this protection, they often run
out of money while caring for ailing partners.
In addition, surviving members of same-sex couples are
unable to receive survivor’s benefits from social security. Married couples
receive these benefits and use them to supplement their incomes. Estate taxes
also financially cripple the LGBT community. When a person in a same-sex
relationship dies, the surviving partner has to pay estate taxes on the
property they inherit. This can be incredibly expensive, and causes many people
to lose their savings.
The quickly changing state by state decisions about marriage
and rights for the LGBT community bring hope to this bleak picture. Hopefully, LGBT elders can soon have the rights, support and resources to live and die
with the dignity we deserve.
