Gay boomers are wary of homophobic
retirement care

During the past three decades, Louis Hughes has demonstrated for gay rights in Annapolis, Md., and Washington, helped set up community and medical services for gays and lesbians and received awards for his efforts to prevent suicide in sexual-minority youths.

Although Hughes is proud of his history as an activist, he worries how his sexual identity may affect his old age. If he must one day enter a nursing home, for instance, the retired Baltimorean worries that being openly gay could put him in jeopardy -- when he's too weak to protest.

How would staff react when his same-sex friends visit? Would there be a payback if they were "too over the top"?

"What if I have a homophobic roommate and I ask to be moved? How would that be perceived?" says Hughes, 63.

"I already pretend that I'm a relative of a friend I'm taking for cancer treatments. But if I'm sick in a nursing home, what if I don't feel up to that battle of working the system? Instead, I may think, 'Gee, this person is taking good care of me, I better watch what I say and what I do. I think I'd better hide my award plaques from working with Gay Pride.' "

This is a concern shared by many baby boomers who fought for the right to be openly gay in mainstream America. They now face a new challenge: remaining openly gay in old age.

Continued

Senior Pride Network — Opening the Closet on Aging

The Senior Pride Network is an association committed to promoting appropriate services and a positive, caring environment for older gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersexed and 2 spirited people in Toronto. The Senior Pride Network envisions a series of communities of older gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersexed and 2 spirited people that are affirming, supportive and healthy.

Contact Dick Moore, Older LGBT Program Coordinator, at 416-392-6878 ext. 118 or send an email to senior@the519.org

The 519

Getting on, staying strong -- seniors and HIV (NAPWA)

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute: Aging Initiative (NHLTF)

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Key Policy Recommendations for GLBT Elders (NHLTF)

Aging gay men and lesbians face unique challenges (Boston Phoenix, May 1977)

Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund: Issues Facing Older Lesbians and Gay Men (Lambda Legal, April 22, 1997)

Older Gays Show Pride, Face Prejudice (ThirdAge, April 22, 1997)

Gay and Lesbian Aging (Linda M. Woolf, May 1998)

Lesbian, Gay Male, Bisexual and Transgendered Elders: Elder Abuse and Neglect Issues (Loree Cook-Daniels, July 27, 1999)

Lesbian, Gay Male, Bisexual and Transgendered Elders: Elder Abuse and Neglect Issues (Loree Cook-Daniels, July 27, 1999)

Demystifying Gay Men's Adulthood (Pride Senior Network, The Networker, Winter 2000)

Elephant Graveyards: Gay Aging and Gay Ageism in the Year 2000 (Pride Senior Network, The Networker, Winter 2000)

Homophobia and Unequal Treatment Limit the Quality of Life for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (NGLTF, December 7, 2000)

Outing Age: Public Policy Issues Facing Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders (NHLTF, November 9, 2000)

SAGE conference addresses joys, challenges faced by gay seniors (Washington Blade, May 19, 2000)

Deb Price: Equal rights are key for elderly gay people (Ithaca Journal, November 6, 2000)

Newspaper reaches out to GLBT seniors (Bay Windows, April 12, 2000)

GLBT seniors can enjoy new retirement communities (Bay Windows, April 12, 2000)

Gay Seniors Conference Draws Attention to a Hidden Population (Bad Puppy, May 2, 2000)

Out of the closet (The Guardian, Wednesday July 25, 2001)

Study: older gays face increased violence (Boston Globe, April 19, 2002)

C-Health's Senior's Health (CANOE.ca)

Golden Threads (Independent Television Service)

SSRI antidepressants may raise suicide risk in elderly: study (theglobeandmail.com, Monday, May 1, 2006)

Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network (LGAIN) (USA)

PlanetOut's Senior Community Online (USA and Canada)

Pride Senior Network (New York City, NY, USA)

Association des Personnes Retraités Gaies (Montréal, QC, Canada)

Senior Action in a Gay Environment (New York City, NY, USA)

Gray n Gay Resources (Nassau, DE, USA)

Gay and Gray in the West (USA)

National Elder Law Network (William Mitchell College of Law and the University of Kansas, USA)

Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (Houston, TX, USA)

Red Dot Girls: The Elder Lesbian Initiative (Seattle, WA, USA)

Classic Dykes Online (USA and International)

Canadian Senior Years (Canada)

50+ (Canada)

American Association of Retired Persons (USA)

American Society on Aging (USA)

National Council on the Aging (USA)

Age Concern (UK)

The Internet for 50+: The Complete Guide for Every Canadian Over 50

Golden Men: The Power of Gay Midlife

Lambda Grey: A Practical, Emotional and Spiritual Guide for Gays & Lesbians Who Are Growing Older

Men Like Us : The GMHC Complete Guide to Gay Men's Sexual, Physical, and Emotional Well-Being

Social Services for Senior Gay Men and Lesbians

Raising Awareness About AIDS and the Aging

Are We Thinking About HIV and Older Adults?

Canada Benefits

Health Canada's Division of Aging and Seniors

HealthyOntario.com — Seniors

Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging

Senior Health Resources

MEDLINEplus's Seniors' Health Topics

InteliHealth's Seniors' Health

Alzheimer's Society's Gay and Lesbian Carers Network

Healthy Aging

American Geriatrics Society

Foundation for Health in Aging

hiv, AIDS, and Older People

National Association on HIV Over Fifty

Sexually active seniors are one of the fastest-growing HIV-infected populations