June is the month of Pride, where we celebrate and recognize the LGBTQ community. Pride month is held in honor of the 1969 Stonewall riots which involved New York police raiding the Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall Inn, now declared a National Historic Landmark, was a safe haven for the LGBTQ community. Patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn resisted the police harassment which led to six days of protest. This uprising marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQ Americans.
LGBTQ people have been marginalized for many years and the LGBTQ Aging Paradox is a topic that needs addressing. The paradox involves fear of treatment by providers which leads to avoidance of accessing services. This is the center of the paradox; a community that needs more support, services, and resources yet avoids accessing due fear from historical trauma, lived experiences, and judgment from society and communities.
The University of Minnesota and Rainbow Health updated the LGBTQ Aging Needs Assessment in 2022 and provides a summary of the experiences of LGBTQ older adults in Minnesota. This study was conducted following up on the 2002 and 2012 LGBTQ needs assessments. The updated study was an opportunity to learn how far the community has come in the last two decades in addressing the needs of LGBTQ older adults and where there is still work that needs to be done. The study found that LGBTQ older Minnesotans are more likely to be caregivers, less likely to have caregivers, and more likely to live alone than the general population. However, it was also found that there has been an increase in confidence in receiving sensitive care if your status as an LGBTQ person is shared with the provider.
The Minnesota Human Rights Act involves protection of individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Unfortunately, these protections are not universal across the country. The Administration for Community Living has provided guidance on state plans on aging, specific to LGBTQ older adults. The University of Minnesota is leading a five-year MILLS study focusing on exploring policies in nursing homes and assisted living facilities through testing an education intervention on LGBTQ aging sensitivity.
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