June 2013 SAGE Newsletter Notes

Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

Celebrating Pride: SAGE Is Here
It’s Pride month, and this year, SAGE has many victories to celebrate. As President Obama stated in his official declaration of June as Pride month, “Support for LGBT equality is growing, led by a generation which understands that, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’” This past year, we’ve seen the introduction of the LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012 in Congress, an 83-year-old activist take a case for marriage equality all the way to the Supreme Court, and much more. We still have a long way to go, but SAGE will be there every step of the way to ensure that LGBT older people are at the forefront of the fight for equality. So this month, join us in our celebrations around the country:

SAGE will be marching in the annual Pride Parade in New York City on June 30. Edie Windsor, longtime SAGE volunteer leader and plaintiff in the Supreme Court case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act, will be this year’s Grand Marshal.

• SAGE affiliates across the country are planning a variety of Pride events for LGBT elders and allies. For a list of affiliates and more information, visit SAGENet.
• SAGE is proud to support Harlem Pride again this year! Join the celebration at Jackie Robinson Park and make sure to drop by our table to learn more about SAGE Harlem. 

For a full listing of upcoming SAGE Pride events, visit our site.
 

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SAGE and Freedom to Marry Host DC Marriage Event
 When: June 10, 2013, 9:00 – 10:30 am  Where: National Press Club, Washington DC
 With a Supreme Court decision expected this month in two marriage cases, Freedom to Marry and SAGE will present a panel on the harms of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act on older same-sex couples. The panel will include leaders, experts, and LGBT seniors telling their stories of harm. Under DOMA, married same-sex couples are denied more than 1,100 protections and responsibilities automatically afforded to other married couples, including Social Security survivor benefits, access to health care and family leave, the ability to pool resources without adverse tax treatment, parenting rights, and familial status for immigration purposes.  Visit the SAGE Events page for more information on this important event. To attend, please RSVP to  angela@freedomtomarry.org.
 

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SAGE Joins 33 Other LGBT Organizations in Pledge to Fight HIV/AIDS
 On June 3, to mark Pride Month, executive directors from 34 LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations from across the United States released a joint letter committing themselves and their organizations to re-engaging the broader LGBT community in the fight against HIV. SAGE is proud to join this effort and support the rapidly growing numbers of older people who are living with HIV/AIDS. Today, approximately 28% of people living with HIV in the U.S. are over 50. By 2017 that number is projected to grow to 50%. In addition, it is estimated that 15% of all new HIV infections occur in people over 50. And the available data clearly documents that the AIDS epidemic has disproportionately affected men who have sex with men, gay and bisexual men, people of color and transgender people of all ages, including elders. Read the letter at the SAGE Blog, and then visit the site We the LGBT to pledge your support for achieving the vision of an AIDS-free generation.

DO Ask Do Tell: St. Louis Veterans Hospitals initiate LGBT cultural competency training program

by The Network for LGBT Health Equity Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

Sherrill Wayland, MSW, SAGE: Services & Advocacy for LGBT Elders, Metro St. Louis

 

Five years ago when SAGE Metro St. Louis first started providing outreach and trainings, the Veterans Administration (VA) St. Louis Health Care System was one of the last places we expected to be. Fast forward to 2013 and we find the VA St. Louis Health Care System as one of the leaders in creating LGBT welcoming health care in Missouri.

In 2012, the VA St. Louis Health Care System held the first ever St. Louis Veterans PRIDE Celebration. A standing room only crowd of Veterans and employees packed the room to hear a panel discussion, in which SAGE Metro St. Louis participated. At this meeting, SAGE extended a welcome to the employees to have a representative join the Missouri LGBT Health Roundtable, as a part of the Missouri LGBT Health Access Project. In turn, SAGE was asked to join the VA St. Louis Health Care Systems, LGBT Advisory Council as an ad hoc committee member.

Over the years, SAGE has received calls from LGBT Veterans, fearful that they would not receive care from the VA if their LGBT status was known during the time when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was in force. We also field calls from LGBT Veterans who feel they have been treated in a discriminatory or unwelcoming fashion. Today, we have a direct linkage to the VA St. Louis Health Care System that allows us to assist LGBT Veterans with gaining welcoming care in an environment that truly honors ALL Veterans.

Over the past year, the work at the VA St. Louis has grown to include a robust offering of LGBT Health Cultural Competency Trainings provided by VA St. Louis employees and SAGE. We are currently in the process of developing a schedule of trainings for SAGE to present on a monthly basis.

With the commitment and dedication of the St. Louis VA staff, LGBT Veterans health care and access is a priority. SAGE Metro St. Louis will honor the St. Louis Veterans Administration on June 1, 2013 with the first annual “SAGE Community Cares” Award for excellence in service to the LGBT community.

The groundwork established in partnership with the VA is invaluable as we begin moving forward with sustainable policy change initiatives that will positively impact our LGBT Veterans. Like many we understand the value in building partnerships to advance our movements, and while addressing the LGBT Veterans is mandated by the federal government, having a strategic partnership established will serve as a cornerstone in advancing LGBT health inclusion efforts at both VA hospitals in St. Louis.

“Our LBGT program includes comprehensive care and ongoing education of staff and health care providers about the unique healthcare concerns of our LGBT Veteran community. We believe all staff who are knowledgeable about the health care concerns of our LGBT Veterans are better able to serve our diverse Veteran population. As the Deputy Director of the VA St. Louis Health Care System,  I am extremely proud of the commitment our providers have shown to our diverse (Veteran) patient and employee population.”      - Marc Magill, Deputy Director

Introducing SAGE Story: Bring Your Story to Life

Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

 

SAGE is proud to launch SAGE Story, a new national storytelling initiative for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. SAGE knows from firsthand experience that LGBT older people are among the most effective advocates for changing inequitable aging policies. Many have helped pave the way for the social changes we now enjoy. And many still experience discrimination and stigma in their families and in the long-term care system. LGBT elders’ stories have the power to effect change in people’s attitudes, in public policy, and in the systems that all of us rely on.

But how do we distill the most essential parts of LGBT elders’ experiences, and get those stories out to policy makers and leaders in the LGBT and aging fields? That’s where SAGE Story comes in.

 

SAGE Story will create a national voice on aging issues shaped by the insights and actions of LGBT older people. The purpose of the program is to strengthen the storytelling skills—and draw on the unique life experiences—of LGBT elders to  diversify the public narratives on aging, long-term care and LGBT rights. To meet this goal, SAGE Story maintains an online story booth for digital submissions and an online platform showcasing the stories of LGBT older people. In addition, we will offer skillbuilding workshops, starting in New York City and expanding nationwide in the coming months. We will also partner with storytelling experts and policy-based organizations to bring these stories into the current public and political conversations.

Get inspired by reading, watching and listening to the stories of LGBT elders—and be sure to submit your own story online today. It’s easy to upload a photo or video link, or write out your story. We can’t wait to hear your story!

Elder Abuse Resource Portal Launched

The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, along with founding partner organization FORGE Transgender Aging Network, today launched a new portal dedicated to LGBT Elder Abuse.  While elder abuse affects all older people regardless of sexual orientation and transgender status, there are ways that LGBT elders can be specifically victimized and other reasons why they may choose to stay silent. This portal brings together information from partner organizations as well as groundbreaking new content to address some of these issues. The multimedia resources are especially geared toward helping abuse professionals assist in these cases, and for LGBT older adults and their caregivers to understand how to get help. Visit the LGBT Elder Abuse resources today to read the articles, watch the videos and share what you learn by talking to us on Facebook and Twitter. Every one of us can help spread the word to work against LGBT elder abuse!

You're Invited to a Call with Senator Michael Bennet on LGBT Aging Issues

November 27, 2012  2:30 – 3:30 PM

Join SAGE, One Colorado and Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) for a special call on LGBT inclusion in the Older Americans Act.

Event Details

Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and One Colorado invite you to a conversation with Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) about the LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012. Join Senator Bennet and leaders in the LGBT and aging fields to discuss how this act would increase services and supports to millions of LGBT older adults nationwide.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012, 2:30 pm EST

The LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012 proposes several amendments to the Older Americans Act (OAA), the country’s largest vehicle for funding and delivering services to older people. The OAA is currently up for reauthorization and includes no mention of LGBT older adults. Participants in the call will learn more about the bill, and its potential impact on aging providers and LGBT older adults.

The presentation, followed by a Q&A session, will feature:

-Senator Michael Bennet

-Michael Adams, Executive Director, SAGE

-Brad Clark, Executive Director, One Colorado

-Sandy Markwood, CEO, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)

-Shari Wilkins, Program Coordinator, SAGE of the Rockies

Phone Number: (805) 399-1200, Participant Access Code: 917325

No RSVP required. Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

SAGE and NCTE Release Comprehensive New Resource on Transgender Older Adults

SAGE and NCTE Release Comprehensive New Resource on Transgender Older Adults



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 1, 2012
Contact: Judy Evans, SAGE, 212-741-2247 x237 / jevans@sageusa.org
Vincent Paolo Villano, NCTE, (o) 202-903-0112 (c) 202-631-9640 / vvillano@transequality.org

Download Improving the Lives of Transgender Older Adults: Recommendations for Policy and Practice

[NEW YORK, NY] Today SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) released Improving the Lives of Transgender Older Adults: Recommendations for Policy and Practice, a new resource on the current state of transgender aging. Transgender older adults face unique challenges including overwhelming disparities in health and health care access, employment, housing and more. The report recognizes the importance of examining these factors as they directly affect the financial security, health and overall well-being of older transgender individuals.

"Transgender individuals face many challenges associated with aging, including declining health, diminished income and the loss of friends and family. Yet they also face additional challenges such as discrimination and hostility when accessing the services meant to support older adults," said Michael Adams, Executive Director of SAGE. "Now, with this report, policymakers and aging service providers will gain a clear picture of the current state of transgender aging, and a roadmap of what they can do to improve policies and practices to ensure that transgender older adults age successfully."

The report includes a detailed literature review, profiles of personal experiences of transgender elders around the country, and more than 60 concrete recommendations for policy makers and practitioners. The Advisory Committee of the Transgender Aging Advisory Initiative identified four priority areas for policy advocacy to improve the lives of transgender older adults based on their expected impact if accomplished, as well as the expected feasibility of accomplishing them within the next 1-2 years:

• Achieve inclusion and nondiscrimination in aging services by classifying LGBT older adults as a group with "greatest social need" and reauthorizing protections of older Americans to include LGBT people.
• Promote best practices in long-term care by developing LGBT competency trainings and providing tools for long-term care facilities while including respect for the gender identity and expression of residents in specific guidelines.
• Protect privacy in Social Security programs by updating the Social Security Administration (SSA) policies to permit individuals to change their gender designation without intrusive medical information while eliminating gender as a data field in SSA's automated verification programs.
• Build a foundation of knowledge by including questions about gender identity and sexual orientation in federally-funded population-based surveys.

Harper Jean Tobin, NCTE Policy Counsel, said, "Transgender older adults want to live healthy and independent lives and maintain dignity as they age. But this population faces unique challenges that the aging field as well as the LGBT community need to pay attention to."

SAGE and NCTE will continue to advocate for these policy changes to ensure that older transgender adults have access to the necessary services and are treated with respect.

For more information or to speak to Harper Jean Tobin or Michael Adams, please contact Vincent Paolo Villano at 202-903-0112 / vvillano@transequality.org.

To download Improving the Lives of Transgender Older Adults, or to learn more about the issues covered in the report, visit sageusa.org or transequality.org.

 

Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (SAGE) is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBT older adults and their caregivers, advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT older people, and provides training for aging providers and LGBT organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. With offices in New York City, Washington, DC and Chicago, SAGE coordinates a growing network of 24 local SAGE affiliates in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Learn more at sageusa.org or lgbtagingcenter.org.
The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people. By empowering transgender people and our allies to educate and influence policymakers and others, NCTE facilitates a strong and clear voice for transgender equality in our nation's capital and around the country. The National Center for Transgender Equality is a 501(c)3 organization.

New Report Highlights LGBT Older Adults' Needs, Identifies Policy Opportunities

Contact: Judy Evans, 212-741-2247 x237, jevans@sageusa.org
The latest issue of Public Policy & Aging Report is the first ever devoted to addressing the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults within the context of the broader aging field.

[New York, NY] Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and the National Academy on an Aging Society today released the first-ever issue of the acclaimed Public Policy & Aging Report (PPAR) on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) aging, highlighting gaps in policy and research on LGBT older adults, and current and future solutions to address the needs of LGBT elders.

"Given the voluminous gerontological literature that has built up over the past half-century, it is hard to imagine that any set of aging populations has been largely ignored or under-investigated. Yet, LGBT older adults have remained nearly invisible to the community of advocates, researchers, practitioners, administrators, and politicians who associate themselves with the modern aging enterprise," said PPAR Editor Robert Hudson, PhD, chair of the Department of Social Policy at the Boston University School of Social Work. "This issue of Public Policy & Aging Report takes a step toward filling that void."

LGBT older adults make up a significant share of America's 65+ population, and their numbers are expected to double in size over the next several decades, reaching more than 3 million by 2030. An increase in numbers signals a growing need to ensure that the policies designed to protect our nation's elders take into account the needs of LGBT older adults.

"Despite recent policy advances, LGBT older adults still face significant barriers to successful aging, such as poor health outcomes, a lack of economic security, social isolation, and unequal treatment under the law and in programs aimed at aging populations," said Michael Adams, executive director of SAGE. "SAGE is pleased to partner with the National Academy on an Aging Society on this issue of Public Policy & Aging Report to bring LGBT elders' concerns into the spotlight to transform discussions on aging nationwide."

PPAR, distributed to thousands of thought leaders in the aging field, explores policy issues generated by the aging of American society. Each thematic issue is designed to stimulate debate, highlight emerging concerns and propose alternative policy solutions.

The current issue, co-sponsored by SAGE, explores several topics related to LGBT aging, including the need for more research and public policies devoted to LGBT populations; the failure of existing broad-based aging policies to incorporate LGBT needs and interests; the need for cultural competency training among services personnel; coalition work between organizations working with LGBT older adults and elders of color to advance common policy goals; and the profound implications of a demographic estimate showing that one in two Americans living with HIV will be 50 and older by 2015. The issue also gives an overview of the current state of LGBT aging policy and advocacy, and highlights important new research from a landmark nationwide study of LGBT older adults and their health.

This issue's authors include several leaders in the LGBT and aging fields, including Michael Adams, SAGE; Kellan Baker and Jeff Krehely, Center for American Progress; Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, New York City Department for the Aging; Brian de Vries, San Francisco State University; Robert Espinoza, SAGE; Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, PhD, University of Washington; Hilary Meyer, National Resource Center on LGBT Aging; Nathan Schaefer, Gay Men's Health Crisis; Daniel Tietz, AIDS Community Research Initiative of America; Catherine Thurston, SAGE; and Harper Jean Tobin, National Center for Transgender Equality.

Read the issue online at sageusa.org. Print copies of the current issue of PPAR, published by the National Academy on an Aging Society, are available for purchase at agingsociety.org.

Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older adults. SAGE has pioneered programs and services for the aging LGBT community, provided technical assistance and training to expand opportunities for LGBT older people across the country, and provided a national voice on LGBT aging issues. In 2005, SAGE became the first official LGBT delegate at the White House Conference on Aging. In 2010, SAGE was awarded a three-year $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration on Aging to seed the creation of the nation's only National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. Learn more at sageusa.org and lgbtagingcenter.org.

The National Academy on an Aging Society is the policy institute of The Gerontological Society of America, the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society -- and its 5,400+ members -- is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public.

LGBT Older Adults and Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act: A Policy Brief

Established in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) is the country's leading vehicle for funding and delivering supportive services to older people in this country. OAA holds enormous potential for millions of LGBT older adults, a population with profound needs that will surge over the next few decades. In 2011, OAA comes up for reauthorization, creating an unprecedented opportunity to ensure that these sizable resources support LGBT older adults and their loved ones.

During our historic 2010 conference—the first-ever national advocacy conference led by, for and about LGBT older adults—SAGE drew on the wisdom of LGBT elders and commissioned an investigative story that describes the potential of this Act in supporting our communities. We asked, "What are the distinct challenges facing LGBT elders, and how can their aging experiences be enhanced through an LGBT-affirming Older Americans Act?"
This brief presents their stories—and SAGE's official recommendations on the Older Americans Act.

Related News: Leadership Council of Aging Organizations Issues Official Document on Older Americans Act—Supporting LGBT Elders in Reauthorization

On April 6, the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO), a 65-member association comprising the country's leading aging organizations, released its official "Consensus Recommendations for the 2011 Older Americans Act Reauthorization," which includes eight recommendations specific to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) elders, as well as racially and ethnically diverse elders, and older adults with HIV/AIDS. SAGE is the only LGBT organization on the LCAO.

To Read more about the consensus document, and the eight recommendations, Download the policy brief, or to download the full LCAO consensus document see website. Posted at http://www.sageusa.org/specialevents/home.cfm?ID=83

Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com

Protecting Our LGBT Elders: An Overview of LGBT Aging Issues

By Jeff Krehely , Michael Adams | September 28, 2010

Earlier this year, Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Elders, or SAGE, and the Movement Advancement Project, or MAP, released "Improving the Lives of LGBT Older Adults" in partnership with the Center for American Progress, the American Society on Aging, and the National Senior Citizens Law Center. The report provides an overview of LGBT elders' unique needs and the policy and regulatory changes that are needed to adequately address them.

To follow up on that work, SAGE, MAP, and CAP have developed 11 policy briefs that provide more information on the issues raised in the report. This memo provides links to and summaries of these briefs. For a very fast summary of the issues at play, see the Facts at a Glance document.

Falling Through the Safety Net: This brief illustrates how policy and social barriers gradually tear away at the safety net for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, older adults—and how these inequities compound and reinforce each other, creating a dramatically different aging experience for LGBT older adults based solely on the different treatment they experience because they are not heterosexual. It explains that the barriers and inequality facing LGBT older adults stem from the effects of social stigmas and prejudice, their reliance on informal "families of choice" for care and support, and inequitable laws and programs that treat LGBT elders unequally. These barriers can prevent LGBT elders from achieving three key elements of successful aging: financial security, good health and health care, and social support and community engagement.

Social Security: LGBT older adults are not eligible for Social Security spousal benefits, survivor benefits, or death benefits. This disparate treatment is especially unjust because Social Security benefits are not freely given; they are based on the contributions people make throughout their working lives—and LGBT people work and pay into Social Security in the same manner as their heterosexual counterparts. The lack of equal Social Security benefits contributes to higher poverty rates among older same-sex couples and significantly reduces their retirement income, potentially leaving a surviving same-sex spouse without a living-wage income.

Medicaid: Medicaid generally pays for older Americans requiring long-term institutional or home-based care. Only individuals with low assets and income can qualify for Medicaid, but Medicaid qualification rules also include a series of "spousal impoverishment protections" that aim to prevent requiring a healthy spouse to live in poverty in order to qualify a sick spouse for Medicaid. Unfortunately, these spousal impoverishment protections do not apply to same-sex couples, which can leave the same-sex partner of a Medicaid recipient homeless, penniless, and without a living-wage income.

Pension Plans: LGBT older adults are often denied pension plan options that provide financial protections for a surviving partner—even though LGBT employees earn their pensions through the same hard work and financial contributions as their heterosexual counterparts. The lack of pension income can devastate a surviving partner in the event of a death, especially given that LGBT elders are poorer and less financially secure than American elders as a whole. Even when both partners are healthy, LGBT older adults are denied the peace of mind that comes from knowing that a surviving partner will receive an adequate living income upon the death of the pension holder.

Tax-Qualified Retirement Plans: Inheriting a tax-qualified retirement plan from a loved one can cost an LGBT person thousands of dollars per year in retirement income because of different treatment under the law. This inequity is especially significant given that LGBT elders are poorer and less financially secure than Americans as a whole.

Estate Tax and Inheritance Laws: Unlike their heterosexual counterparts, unless an LGBT elder has specific legal documents in place upon their death, state laws generally hand over financial decision-making and inheritance to spouses or blood relatives rather than domestic partners or families of choice. This means that surviving LGBT partners or other loved ones can be totally shut out of an inheritance, resulting in the loss of critical retirement savings, forfeiture of a family home, or impoverishment. Additionally, even when a surviving partner does inherit a deceased loved one's assets, inequitable tax treatment of same-sex couples can mean paying 45 percent in taxes on an inheritance that a surviving heterosexual spouse would inherit tax free.

Legal Barriers to Taking Care of Loved Ones: LGBT older adults confront many challenges their heterosexual counterparts do not face. Some of the most unconscionable are laws that stand in the way of LGBT people taking care of those they love, in life and in death. LGBT people are not granted family or medical leave to take care of a sick or terminally ill partner under federal law and most state laws. Furthermore, LGBT people could be excluded from medical decision making for a partner. Finally, upon the death of a partner, LGBT people are often denied making end-of-life decisions about last rites, funerals, and disposition of remains.

Exclusion from Aging Programs and Services: LGBT older adults often face harassment or hostility when accessing aging programs and when frequenting senior centers, volunteer centers or places of worship. Few aging service providers plan for, or conduct outreach to, the LGBT community—and few are prepared to address acts of discrimination aimed at LGBT elders by staff or other older people. This makes many LGBT older adults reluctant to access mainstream aging services, which increases their social isolation and negatively impacts their physical and mental health.

Inhospitable Health Care Environments: Older Americans are frequently dependent on the assistance of professional health care providers, whether home-based service providers or doctors, nurses, and staff at medical centers and long-term care facilities. LGBT older adults, who are less likely to be able to rely on family members for caregiving, often face hostile or unwelcoming health care providers, or might encounter staff members who are unfamiliar with the needs of the LGBT community. These experiences and fears can cause LGBT older adults to delay seeking necessary health care, sometimes indefinitely, and can lead to premature institutionalization in nursing homes and long-term care facilities due to fear of hostile in-home care providers.

Health Disparities: LGBT older adults experience health disparities across four general areas: access to health care, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and chronic physical conditions. Additionally, extra taxation on retiree health insurance benefits means that many LGBT elders simply cannot afford to receive retiree health insurance. This is especially problematic given that LGBT older adults face a wide range of physical health disparities that are generally unaddressed by governments or health care providers.

Rethinking Aging Laws for Today's Older Adults: Most federal and state safety net programs that support older adults are built around the presumption of a married heterosexual couple. This presumption simply does not match the reality of the lives of today's older adults. Almost one-third of the entire population aged 65 and older are widowed men and women, and 42 percent of women aged 65 and older and 59 percent of women aged 75 and older are widowed. Many heterosexual elders live in domestic partnerships, often because marrying or remarrying would result in unaffordable financial consequences. Just more than 4 percent of older adults (including those in religious orders and those who simply choose to remain single) were never married. Another 4 percent of older adults are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and may be single or in a legally recognized same-sex relationship. Policymakers need to examine ways to adapt laws and safety nets to help protect all of today's older adults. Many of the recommendations to help LGBT older adults would also improve the lives of heterosexual elders in domestic partnerships, or single and widowed heterosexual elders who are not able to rely on a spouse for financial or caretaking support.

These briefs—and the full report—offer a plan to help our nation better care for and serve its increasingly visible older LGBT population. Now is the time to make changes to laws, community services and attitudes, and health care practices to help elders improve their financial security, access culturally competent health care, and remain active and fully engaged members of their communities. All Americans deserve the chance to age with dignity, and solutions that help LGBT elders do so will help all Americans who are aging or face inequality.

Michael Adams is the Executive Director of Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders and Jeff Krehely is Director of the LGBT Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress.

Posted at Center for American Progress http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/09/lgbt_aging.html

Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com