Hospice and Palliative Care for Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Adults: The Effect of History, Discrimination, Health Disparities and Legal Issues on Addressing Service Needs.
The acronym LGBT refers to groups of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender, groups historically marginalized, mistreated, ignored by society and the health
care delivery systems, including hospice and palliative care services.
The purpose of this literature review was to explore the characteristics,
history, health and health care disparities, social
support systems and legal issues of LGBT persons with a particular focus on older adults, end-of-life care, and ways in which hospice and palliative care organizations can better meet their needs.
As a social minority, LGBT persons are more likely to experience economic insecurity, lack health insurance, experience invisibility, and be victimized and mistreated.
This is especially true of older LGBT adults who grew up in a less tolerant
era when sexual minorities were criminalized and
stigmatized as pathological, sinful, and immoral.
Their minority status has led to health issues
and health care disparities, and requires health professionals to consider systems in a way that
redefines family, addresses legal concerns, and responds with options of care unlike those of
their heterosexual counterparts.
With recent changes in societal attitudes and some progress
in addressing legal concerns, hospice and palliative care organizations
now have a unique opportunity to lead the health care community by pioneering culturally sensitive and appropriate methods to better serve this population.
Palliat Med Hosp Care Open J. 2015; 1(2): 36-43. doi: 10.17140/PMHCOJ-1-107
