Provides recommendations by foremost scholars regarding best practices and future directions in LGBT aging

With its critical examination of contemporary issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders, this landmark Annual Review continues a nearly 40-year tradition of providing state-of-the-art knowledge, insight, and research on topics critical to gerontologists worldwide. The 37th volume addresses the cardinal changes occurring in the public policy arena—marriage rights, social security benefits, and other movements toward equality—as they pertain to LGBT elders, and focuses on a variety of key challenges affecting this population. Bringing together the work of highly respected researchers in health policy and psychosocial spheres pertinent to older LGBT adults, the Review also sets forth recommendations on best practices and discusses future directions for working with this population.

Each chapter covers a specific issue affecting the older LGBT population and includes definitions of key concepts; a summary of current research; and a discussion of trends and future directions. The Review addresses such key topics as sexuality and sexual health, health and mental health disparities, caregiving, and service needs. It focuses on such critical issues for LGBT elders as social services, families and social supports, health and wellbeing for transgender and bisexual older adults, stigma for bisexual older adults, and special issues for older LGBT veterans and rural-dwelling elders. Also examined is the intersection of diverse characteristics such as gender, race, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. The book concludes with a discussion of programs and policies for older LGBT adults and offers concluding comments for professionals working with this population.

Key Features:

• Provides an historical view of events, policy, and public opinion that have affected the lives of older LGBT cohorts
• Distills state-of-the-art research and data on such critical issues as sexuality, health and mental health disparities, caregiving, and service needs
• Considers the intersection of diverse characteristics such as gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and aging
• Discusses families and social supports, health and wellbeing for transsexual and bisexual older adults, LGBT veterans, and rural elders
• Examines future trends and changes in policy and programming to benefit older LGBTs