Out and Aging

First National Survey of LGBT Boomers Highlights
Unique Care giving, Late-Life Planning Concerns

SAN FRANCISCO — A recent report offers an unprecedented snapshot of the concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) baby boomers in the United States as they deal with current care-giving responsibilities and make plans for their own needs in later life.

“Out and Aging: The MetLife Study of Lesbian and Gay Baby Boomers” was produced by the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network (LGAIN) of the American Society on Aging. The report draws on a poll conducted by Zogby International using a random sample of LGBT Americans ages 40-61 — the first such national survey of LGBT boomers anywhere in the world.

“’Out and Aging’ documents unique family structures and gender-role differences among people in midlife in the LGBT community,” said Kimberly D. Acquaviva, co-chair of the LGAIN Leadership Council and a member of the research advisory panel that developed the survey questionnaire and reviewed the final report.

“The findings point to a need for specialized support networks, housing solutions, financial planning and end-of-life decision-making as LGBT boomers move toward retirement. The report is a wake-up call not only for LGBT people, but also for service providers who wish to offer appropriate care to this underserved population.”

The findings reported in “Out and Aging” cast a new light on the experiences and expectations of LGBT boomers in the United States.

Following is a sample:

• Twenty-seven percent of the respondents report great concern about discrimination as they age, and less than half expressed strong confidence that they will be treated with “dignity and respect” by healthcare professionals.

• At the same time, almost 40 percent believe that being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender has helped them prepare for aging, with 36 percent saying the experience has taught them greater self-reliance. Seventy-five percent report important connections with “families of choice” — close friends who are “like a second or extended family.”

• One in four say they provided care for an adult friend or family member in the previous six months — a higher proportion than the one in five who have reported providing such care in studies of the general population.
• One in five say they are unsure of who will take care of them when the need arises, though at least 75 percent expect to be caregivers for someone else.

• Fifty-one percent have yet to complete a will, living will or similar legal directives, despite the fact that same-sex couples and their families currently lack legal recognition in most of the United States.

• A majority of LGBT boomers fear outliving their income in retirement, with 60 percent of women and 55 percent of men reporting this concern. Respondents clearly want to spend their final days in their own homes:
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• Forty-seven percent said they would like their end-of-life care to take place in their current residences with the help of hospice care.

The study indicates those in the LGBT community have concerns about growing older,” said Sandra Timmermann, director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute. “This group reports a great deal of worry about who will care for them.

Financial concerns also are an issue, for women slightly more than men. Planning for financial, legal and emotional support should be a high priority.”

“Out and Aging” reflects findings from a national online survey of 1,000 self-identified LGBT people ages 40 to 61 conducted by Zogby International in 2006. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.2 percent.

Most respondents report being well-educated, middle-income individuals living in committed relationships. Of those studied, 75 percent say they are “completely” or “mostly” open about their sexual orientation; only 3.7 percent say they have kept their sexual orientation completely private.

The Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network (LGAIN) is a constituent group of the San Francisco-based American Society on Aging, the largest professional membership association of professionals in aging in North America. Founded in 1994, LGAIN works to raise awareness about the concerns of LGBT elders and about the unique barriers they encounter in gaining access to housing, healthcare, long-term care and other needed services.

Based in Westport, Conn., the MetLife Mature Market Institute is MetLife’s information and policy resource center on issues related to aging, retirement, long-term care and the older adult market. Staffed by gerontologists, the institute provides research, training and education, consultation and information to support MetLife, its corporate customers and business partners.

MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife Inc., a leading provider of insurance and financial services with operations throughout the U.S. and the Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions.

The full text of “Out and Aging” is available free of charge as a 20-page PDF on the home page of the Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network at www.asaging.org/lgain. For more information about the MetLife Mature Market Institute, visit www.maturemarketinstitute.com.

Media Contact: Gerard Koskovich (415) 974-9641 or lgain@asaging.org