America’s older population is growing, and so is the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults who are moving into their later years. In the next several decades, LGBT adults age 65 and above is expected to double, reaching more than 3 million by 2030.
Older gays and lesbians are half as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to have family to lean on for elder care.
In my job as executive director of SAGE (that’s for Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders), I’m constantly hearing about the unique challenges facing our community. These are the five main things we need to change if we want our society to be prepared for the full diversity of its aging population.
There are five main areas covered in this story:
1. Basic Health Care
2. Caregiving Issues
3. Financial Insecurity
4. Social Isolation
5. Access to Aging Services
