Experiences and perceptions of residential and home care services among older lesbian women and gay men in Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID12289727
AuthorsA Waling (0000-0003-1370-5600, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society School of Psychology and Public Health La Trobe University Melbourne Vic. Australia), Anthony Lyons (0000-0001-9569-6909, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society School of Psychology and Public Health La Trobe University Melbourne Vic. Australia, corresponding author), Beatrice Alba (0000-0003-4397-2777, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society School of Psychology and Public Health La Trobe University Melbourne Vic. Australia), Minichiello (0000-0002-4613-881X, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society School of Psychology and Public Health La Trobe University Melbourne Vic. Australia), Catherine Barrett (0000-0002-2692-4194, Alice's Garage Melbourne Vic. Australia), Mark Hughes (0000-0002-1158-5214, School of Arts and Social Sciences Southern Cross University Gold Coast Qld Australia), Karen Fredriksen Goldsen (0000-0002-7846-349X, School of Social Work University of Washington Seattle Washington), Samantha Edmond (0000-0001-6770-4596, National LGBTI Health Alliance Sydney NSW Australia)
Year2019
Volume27
Issue5
Pages1251-1259
Publication date2019-04-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth & Social Care in the Community (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0966-0410 • E-ISSN: 1365-2524
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/hsc.12760
PMID31012182
OpenAlexW2941555906
LanguageEN
Citations received23
References cited29

The needs of older lesbian and gay people regarding access and use of aged-care services remain underresearched. This paper reports the findings of 33 qualitative interviews with older lesbian women and gay men about their perceptions and experiences of residential aged-care and home-based aged-care services in Australia. The focus of this paper is their preparedness for using aged-care services. The results highlight that participants had a number of concerns related to accessing residential-care services in particular, including perceptions of a lack of inclusivity and concerns of potential for discrimination and hostility, loss of access to community and partners, decreased autonomy and concerns relating to quality of care and the potential for elder abuse. Participants noted a number of strategies they employed in avoiding residential-care services, including the use of home-care services, renovating the home for increased mobility, moving to locations with greater access to outside home-care services, a preference for lesbian/gay-specific housing and residential-care options if available, and the option of voluntary euthanasia to ensure dignity and autonomy. Participants, on the whole, were hopeful that they would never require the use of residential-care services, with some believing that having current good health or the support of friends could prevent this from happening. The findings suggest that older lesbian and gay people have a variety of concerns with aged-care and may need additional support and education to improve their perceptions and experiences of services, whether these are needed presently or in the future

Lesbian · Perception · Residential care · Sociology · Gender Studies · Healthcare innovation and challenges · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology

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