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Sexual Minority Status and Aging

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Handbook of LGBT Elders

Abstract

There are estimated to be between 1.4 and 3.8 million LGBT Americans over the age of 65. This population is expected to increase between 3.6 and 7.2 million due to the Baby Boom generation. The older adult population is the most rapidly growing age group in the United States and experiences normal age-related changes in cognition as well as in internal and external physical health. Although differences exist within and among groups, more minority elders live in more poverty and with lower incomes than their white counterparts. Emerging scholarship reveals that social isolation and discrimination experienced by many LGBT elders hinder them from aging well. Increasing diversity of the LGBT elder population has important implications for bolstering individual autonomy in the care environments.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

    Pamela B. Teaster & Sujee Kim

  2. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA

    Pamela B. Teaster & John T. White

Authors
  1. Pamela B. Teaster
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  2. John T. White
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  3. Sujee Kim
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pamela B. Teaster .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

    Debra A. Harley

  2. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

    Pamela B. Teaster

Resources

Resources

National Resource Center on LGBT Aging: See more at http://lgbtagingcenter.org/.

Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE): See more at http://www.sageusa.org/issues/general.cfm.

Caring and Aging with Pride: Learn more about aging and health needs of LGBT elders at www.caringandaging.org#sthash.qYHm9484.dpuf, http://www.centerforpositiveaging.org/lgbt.html#sthash.qYHm9484.dpuf.

LGBT Aging Resources Clearinghouse of the American Society on Aging (ASA): See more at http://www.centerforpositiveaging.org/lgbt.html#sthash.qYHm9484.dpuf.

Age-related physical changes at Meldline Plus’ Web site http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniorshealth.html.

Frequently asked questions answered by the American Psychological Association at http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/answers.html.

LGBT Aging Project at http://www.lgbtagingproject.org/.

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Teaster, P.B., White, J.T., Kim, S. (2016). Sexual Minority Status and Aging. In: Harley, D., Teaster, P. (eds) Handbook of LGBT Elders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03623-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03623-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-03622-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-03623-6

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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