Old Age Not So Golden for Many in LGBT Community

Prejudice does not stop when one reaches the golden years, according to a report in The New York Times. In fact, many aging gays and lesbians are discovering that assisted-living facilities, rehabilitation centers, and other senior-living options are potentially full of prejudice, both from staff and other residents. As a result, LGBT elderly people face ostracism leading to depression and sometimes even suicide.

One lesbian checking into a double room of a rehabilitation center was greeted by her roommate shouting, "Get the man out of here!" A 79-year-old gay man, without friends or family to advocate for him, was moved from his floor in a nursing home due to protests of the other residents. They put him with patients suffering from severe dementia and disabilities. Though the home contacted an agency to help with the matter, the man hanged himself before a solution could be found.

There are no federal laws protecting gay people against such discrimination, and California is the only state that has a law stating that gay elderly have special needs. This law also permits state financing of gay senior centers.

According to Gary Gates of the Williams Institute at UCLA, there are an estimated 2.4 million gay, lesbian, or bisexual Americans over the age of 55. Because of this high number, and the poor treatment gays and lesbians have reported, there are a number of organizations set up to specifically address these issues. Among them are facilities dedicated to serving only members of the LGBT community and groups that seek to educate care givers about the specific needs of that community. (The Advocate)