Gay,Lesbian, and Bisexual Elders

Abstract

Although the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual (GLB) senior population is growing, there has been little attention given to identifying and understanding the needs and concerns of this growing population. This paper will present results from a series of focus groups and in-depth interviews with GLB elders from three select areas in the Midwest. Content analysis of the expressed beliefs, attitudes, and opinions from participants revealed that there were seven major areas of importance for GLB elders (physical health, legal rights, housing, spirituality, family, mental health, and social networks). The needs, concerns, range of issues, common issues, opinions, and attitudes expressed across the three focus groups are discussed and recommendations are provided.     

Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Classes for the Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Transgender Community

ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a smoking cessation course tailored to meet the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Of the 44 individuals who participated, 36 were in attendance in the final class, and 88.9% of those had successfully quit smoking. The study found an increase in importance to having cessation classes in gay-identified contexts, high ratings of the cultural appropriateness of the course content, and decreasing anxiety across the classes. Participants’ assessment of their health shifted differentially based on whether they were successful at quitting.     

Social Support and Self-Rated Health of African American Women Informal Caregivers: Urban and Rural Differences

In this study, we examined how geographic location might differently influence social support and self-rated health for rural and urban African American women caregivers. We used cross-sectional data from 253 urban and 263 rural women primary caregivers. Controlling for key demographic factors, we regressed caregivers’ self-rated health on social engagement, structural, and functional aspects of social support for urban and rural caregivers separately. The perception of family functioning was positively associated with urban and rural caregivers’ self-rated health. Urban caregivers reported having significantly more contact with their family and more informal helpers compared to rural caregivers. Furthermore, church attendance, a measure of social engagement, was significant for urban caregivers’ self-rated health, but not rural caregivers. Our findings affirmed the importance of foregrounding context and disaggregating social support, and point to the need for interventions targeting family functioning and paying attention to geographic location.     

End-of-Life Preparations among Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Transgender People: Integrative Review of Prevalent Behaviors

Proactively making end-of-life (EOL) preparations is important to ensure high quality EOL care. Critical to preparation is the discussion of preferences with one’s primary health care providers. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people often experience discrimination from health care providers that will detrimentally affect their ability to communicate their care preferences. Structural barriers, such as those based on sexual orientation and gender identity, may impede timely and quality care when one is most in need. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of EOL preparatory behaviors among LGBT people, with particular focus on transgender individuals. Eight survey instruments with 30 prevalence estimates found in the literature were analyzed. EOL discussions between LGBT people and their primary health care providers were rare (10%). Transgender people were found to be even less prepared for EOL; they were 50–70% less likely than their LGB counterparts to have a will, a living will or to have appointed a healthcare proxy. A need exists for future mixed-methods research focused on LGBT populations accompanied by the cultural sensitivity needed to ensure their wishes are honored at the EOL.     

Developing Anti-Oppressive Empowering Social Work Practice with Older Lesbian Women and Gay Men

Summary Available studies suggest that around 10 per cent of the populationmight self-identify as a lesbian woman or gay man (Davies andNeal, 1996). It follows that social workers will engage witholder people who are homosexual. It does not follow that theywill know who they are, as this is a group often characterizedby its invisibility. This paper reports the results of a small-scale,exploratory study which examined how older lesbian women andgay men perceived their needs should they become ill or disabledas they age (Langley, 1997). Their concerns were viewed in thecontext of their past as well as present lives, and oppressionwas a unifying theme. Some of the findings are examined in orderto highlight key challenges for social work practice. Theseinclude: (i) working with invisibility and fear of oppression;(ii) developing awareness and recognition of lesbian and gayrelationships and supportive networks; (iii) the need for anti-oppressiveempowering services which match the needs and circumstancesof older lesbian women and gay men; (iv) importantly, the needfor greater awareness of the heterosexist assumptions whichinfluence institutional responses and individual practice.     

Training,Geography, and Provision of Aging Services to Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Transgender Older Adults

This research study surveyed leaders of Area Agencies on Aging (agencies) to understand their services, training, and beliefs about serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Half of the existing agencies in the United States (320) participated. Few agencies provided LGBT services or outreach. One-third had trained staff around LGBT aging and four-fifths were willing to offer training; these numbers were significantly higher for urban-based agencies. Agencies that had provided staff training and urban-based agencies were more likely to provide LGBT outreach and services, to believe in addressing LGBT issues, and to receive LGBT assistance requests. Training, policy, organizing, and research implications are considered.     

Development of a Multimodal Assessment Framework for Helping Older African American Women Transition Out of Homelessness

Increasingly vulnerability to homelessness is affecting older African American women because more than any other group these women are susceptible to even minor changes in socioeconomic conditions. This article describes the evolution of an assessment strategy and process found to be useful in planning older African American women's transition from homelessness. The assessment strategy was developed as part of a multimethod, multilevel research and development program the purpose of which is to identify and test tools and interventions useful in helping older African American women leave homelessness. The article offers background on the action research project in which the assessment framework was developed, examines the method for the construction of the framework, describes the assessment process, and considers the integration of specific assessment tools into the advocacy process.     

当代美国的社会保障与妇女

现代福利哲学的启示告诉我们 ,生产的社会化需要社会保障的社会化。本世纪３０年代的大萧条表明 ,个人的贫困不完全是自身的原因 ,相反“这是社会的失败 ,而不是特殊的个人或集团或阶级的失败”（Ｂｒｏｃｋｗａｙ１９９９：１０—１２）。这就需要传统意义上由私人和社区承担的社会保障转为由政府来承担。然而 ,美国社会保障体制在当代出现了一些问题 ,需要进行改革。本文考察了美国妇女在现行社会保障体制下的状况以及未来各种社会保障的设想对妇女退休收入的影响 ,并对改革设想进行了哲学上的反思。当代美国社会保障的两大问题１９３５年…     

Assessing the Needs of Older Gay,Lesbian, Bisexual,and Transgender People: A Service-Learning and Agency Partnership Approach

A county agency and a social work research class partnered to conduct a state-mandated needs assessment of older gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people (GLBT). A survey design with purposive sampling of GLBT people over 60 yielded 38 participants. Findings included that the Internet was a viable means to reach this population and student awareness increased. Areas of greatest unmet need were GLBT-oriented/friendly legal advice, social events, grief and loss counseling, social workers, and assisted living. Some participants perceived existing senior services as unfriendly or hostile to GLBT persons. Recommendations include continued use of service-learning research and expanded needs assessment efforts.     

"African American" as a new Social Representation

The use of African American as a new denomination for a group previously referred to as Black has rapidly become standard practice in American society. This paper analyzes how the introduction of African American in our ordinary language marks the elaboration of a new social reality. As the concept becomes part of our social life, it is transformed into a real "phenomenon" of social representation that formalizes behaviour and orients communication. Such a transformation requires that the new term infiltrates people's everyday lives sufficiently to concretize it into a common reality. The analysis presented here outlines three key processes in the emergence and formation of the social representation of African American. The first one is anchoring which familiarizes the new object by linking it with preexisting categories in our minds. The second process is objectification which assures the crystallization of the object. A figurative core is created to allow the projection of images. At this point people can talk about the object, and through communication the object takes on meaning. This naturalization is the third process to conclude the transformation of the object into a social reality. These steps have allowed African American to become the carrier for a modification of cognitions and broadening of attitudes concerning the group.     

Identity Politics Among Arab‐American Women*

Objective. Identity politics has dominated contemporary analyses of protest movements. Although multiple identities are commonplace, progress in delineating their empirical relationship has been slow. This article examines the relationships among ethnic and religious identities and feminist orientations among Arab‐American women, a group that bridges multiple cultural identities. The primary research question is whether ethnic and religious identities undermine feminism in this population or whether multiple identities are mutually supportive. Methods. Using data from a national mail survey of Arab‐American women, regression analyses examine the separate effects of various dimensions of ethnic and religious identity on women's feminist orientations. Results. Arab political identity is positively associated with feminism while religious and feminist identities are inversely related. The effects of ethnic cultural identity and Muslim affiliation are negligible. Conclusions. This study finds a complex pattern of relationships among multiple identities and underscores the underlying political dynamic linking group identities.     

Correlates of Psychological Distress and Major Depressive Disorder Among African American Men

This study examines the demographic correlates of depressive symptoms, serious psychological distress (SPD), and major depressive disorder (MDD; 12-month and lifetime prevalence) among a national sample of African American men. Analysis of the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) data set provides first-time substantiation of important demographic differences in depressive symptoms (measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale [CES-D]), SPD (measured by the K6), and 12-month and lifetime MDD among African American men. Findings illuminate the heterogeneity within the African American male population. Findings also demonstrate the need for additional research focusing on within-group differences and a comprehensive research and mental health promotion agenda that recognizes the importance of improving access to education and employment and promoting healthy coping behaviors, while acknowledging the larger social context in which African American men live.     

Self-Esteem Mediates the Relationship Between Volunteering and Depression for African American Caregivers

Research on the influence of volunteering on mental health outcomes has not placed enough focus on African American female caregivers who are at risk for adverse outcomes such as depression. This study addresses this gap by examining the mechanism through which volunteering might influence depressive symptoms using data collected from 521 African American female caregivers of older adults. Regression results indicate that although volunteering is inversely associated with depressive symptoms, self-esteem mediates this relationship. Findings suggest inclusion in volunteering for African American female caregivers may be relevant to promotion of their mental well-being.