In representing members of the LGBTQ+ community there are some unique challenges in providing elder care that friends, family members, and the professionals who support them should be aware of.

Gay and lesbian couples who have children is a common occurrence these days. But before gay marriage was legal, it was more difficult for same-sex couples to have children, and therefore was far less frequent than among opposite-sex couples. This means that, statistically, current senior members of the LGBTQ+ community are less likely to have children. And based on the evolution of societal acceptance of members of the community, LGBTQ+ seniors are also less likely to be close or in contact with extended family members. As a result, if a senior member of the LGBTQ+ community does not have a life partner, or their partner has predeceased them, there may not be a family member or friend who sees them on a regular basis, or who is available to take care of them in their older years, as health and mobility start to decline. This increases the likelihood of social isolation and loneliness.

Another concern for senior members of the LGBTQ+ community is a welcoming living situation. For seniors who may have spent their younger years in the closet, and were able to come out later, being placed in an assisted living situation where you are surrounded exclusively by heterosexual seniors and caregivers, or worse by intolerant people, often means going back into the closet in their elder years. Not a pleasant situation to consider.

In response to these concerns, various non-profits and community organizations have developed LGBTQ+ senior community centers and assisted living centers, so that senior members of the community can remain connected to their peers, and be comfortable requesting services, at a time of life when they may be uniquely isolated.

However, with the current administration’s animosity toward diverse populations, Federal grants to non-profits that provide LGBTQ+ senior community programming and assisted living have been cut, meaning the end of many of these programs and efforts.

Layer on top of that this administration’s cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, cuts to Social Security staff and field offices. This administration has made it more difficult for all seniors, and especially those with mobility issues, or who are not savvy with a computer, to get the benefits they are entitled to.

This makes estate planning and elder-care planning all the more essential for senior members of the LGBTQ+ community. It is essential to think through who can hold a power of attorney to make health care decisions, or to make financial decisions, when you are no longer able to do so. It is also essential to plan now for where and how to live when health and mobility start to decline. If you do not have a younger family member or friend able to take on this role, now is the time to forge a relationship with an estate planning, elder care or guardianship lawyer who can assist you.