Growing older as an LGBTQ+ person: what the research shows
Many LGBTQ+ older adults worry about having enough support as they age, and about how they'll be treated by the people caring for them.
Key takeaways
- 78% of LGBTQ+ adults 45 and older worry about having enough support as they age.
- Many rely on chosen family rather than spouses or children.
- Legal paperwork protects the people you want involved in your care.
Today's LGBTQ+ older adults came of age when being out could cost you your job, your family, or your safety. Now many are facing aging with smaller support networks and real worries about the care they'll get.
78%
worry about having enough support from family and friends as they age
48%
often or sometimes feel isolated from others
45%
say they lack companionship
Worries about discrimination
In AARP's 2024 survey, 21% of LGBTQ+ adults 45 and older said discrimination based on sexual orientation affects their access to healthcare, and 20% said the same about gender identity discrimination. Age discrimination was cited by 25%.
Chosen family
LGBTQ+ older adults are more likely to be single or not have children, so many depend on chosen family. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, nearly two thirds of LGBTQ+ older adults consider their friends to be chosen family.
“Being part of a chosen family means you have serious obligations and commitments.”
Caregiving
58% of the adults in AARP's survey are or have been caregivers, and 78% of those caregivers said they feel emotionally stressed. 14% said they feel obligated to care for someone who doesn't accept who they are.
What helps
- Put your wishes in writing. A health care proxy lets the people you choose make decisions for you. See who can visit you and decide for you.
- Find community. SAGE runs a free National LGBTQ+ Elder Hotline at 877-360-5428 for peer support.
Sources
- AARP, Dignity 2024: The Experience of LGBTQ+ Older Adults, August 2024
- Family Caregiver Alliance, Special Concerns of LGBTQ+ Caregivers
- SAGE, National LGBTQ+ Elder Hotline
Last reviewed . Found something out of date? Email hello@qt.care.
