ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially dangerous to older people, has disrupted the lives of older people and their family caregivers. This commentary outlines the adaptive and emerging practices in formal supportive services for family caregivers, the changing types of support that family caregivers are providing to their older relatives, and the ways family caregivers are seeking informal caregiving support during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Subject(s)
Adult Children/psychology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Caregivers/organization & administration , Geriatrics/organization & administration , Social Work/organization & administration , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Caregivers/psychology , Humans , Pandemics , Respite Care/organization & administration , SARS-CoV-2 , Social Isolation , Telemedicine/organization & administrationABSTRACT
Many providers recognize the importance of creating culturally competent services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Although multiple resources list steps to make professional practices more LGBT-welcoming, these resources provide no empirical data to support their recommendations. LGBT older adults (N = 327) were asked to describe what signals that a provider is LGBT-welcoming. Six of the top 10 signals related to provider behavior and suggest the importance of staff training; the balance included display of signage and rainbow flags, use of inclusive language on forms and the presence of LGBT-identified staff. Results provide evidence-based recommendations for working with LGBT older adults.
Subject(s)
Culturally Competent Care , Health Services for the Aged/organization & administration , Population Growth , Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/psychology , Social Work , Aged , Cultural Competency , Culturally Competent Care/methods , Culturally Competent Care/organization & administration , Emotional Intelligence , Evidence-Based Practice , Female , Humans , Male , Needs Assessment , Social Work/methods , Social Work/organization & administration , Social Work/standards , Staff Development , United StatesABSTRACT
As the population ages and LGBT older adults become more visible among senior service providers, the need for cultural competency training will grow. Although this training is a relatively new phenomenon, curricula exist. These are generally in person for 2- to 8-hr durations. Training to Serve embarked on a study to investigate preferences in cultural competency format and duration. One-hundred and eighty-four Minnesota service providers participated in the online survey. The majority (90%) were interested in participating in LGBT cultural competency training. Results suggest a preference for shorter duration and online formats. Implications for curricula development and future research are included.
Subject(s)
Bisexuality , Homosexuality, Female , Homosexuality, Male , Social Work , Transgender Persons , Aged , Bisexuality/psychology , Female , Health Services Needs and Demand , Homosexuality, Female/psychology , Homosexuality, Male/psychology , Humans , Male , Minnesota , Program Evaluation , Social Work/education , Social Work/methods , Social Work/organization & administration , Surveys and Questionnaires , Transgender Persons/psychologyABSTRACT
The study examines the frequency and nature of the informal caregiving experience for midlife and older lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) adults. Responses from a Twin Cities Metropolitan Area LGBT aging needs assessment survey were analyzed for social supports, current caregiving activity and availability of a caregiver. The majority of respondents identified a primary caregiver who was not a legal relation; and compared to the general population were (a) less likely to have traditional sources of caregiver support and (b) more likely to be serving as a caregiver and caring for someone to whom they were not legally related. Implications of the findings for enhancing resources to more fully support the 10% of caregivers that are caring for non-kin are discussed.
Subject(s)
Bisexuality/psychology , Caregivers/psychology , Friends/psychology , Homosexuality, Female/psychology , Homosexuality, Male/psychology , Transgender Persons/psychology , Adult , Aged , Female , Health Services Accessibility , Health Surveys , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Minnesota , Needs Assessment , Social Support , Social Welfare , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
This research study surveyed leaders of Area Agencies on Aging (agencies) to understand their services, training, and beliefs about serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Half of the existing agencies in the United States (320) participated. Few agencies provided LGBT services or outreach. One-third had trained staff around LGBT aging and four-fifths were willing to offer training; these numbers were significantly higher for urban-based agencies. Agencies that had provided staff training and urban-based agencies were more likely to provide LGBT outreach and services, to believe in addressing LGBT issues, and to receive LGBT assistance requests. Training, policy, organizing, and research implications are considered.
Subject(s)
Aging/psychology , Bisexuality/psychology , Health Services for the Aged/organization & administration , Homosexuality, Female/psychology , Homosexuality, Male/psychology , Transgender Persons/psychology , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Chi-Square Distribution , Curriculum , Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration , Educational Status , Female , Geography , Humans , Male , Professional Competence , Social Work , Statistics as Topic , United StatesABSTRACT
The number of older people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) is increasing in parallel to the lengthening life expectancy of the overall population. Little is known about the needs of older people with IDs who are at life's end. Service providers who offer direct care to people with IDs have begun to develop partnerships with hospice and palliative care specialists to provide focused care that is more specialized for their clients or residents who are approaching the end of life. However, community-based programs utilize different philosophies of care that focus on the daily management of people with IDs compared to programs that focus on care at the end of life. Merging these two approaches to care in community-based residences or community-based programs for people with IDs brings challenges for both types of programs. This article compares person-centered planning and patient-focused, family-centered care and proposes means for merging the two seemingly disparate approaches to care.
Subject(s)
Family , Patient-Centered Care/organization & administration , Persons with Mental Disabilities , Residential Facilities/organization & administration , Terminal Care/organization & administration , Hospice Care/organization & administration , Humans , Interinstitutional Relations , Palliative Care/organization & administration , Social Work/organization & administrationABSTRACT
Important home and community-based issues in the lives of older adults and caregivers relate to end of life. It is well documented that education on end of life, including curricula and textbook content for health and human service professionals, is lacking. This study analyzed another aspect of education: continuing education sessions offered at three major annual conferences for members of the Aging Network. Conference proceedings were reviewed for end-of-life-related content for the years 1999 through 2006. Only four sessions out of 960 addressed end-of-life issues. The implications in the rise of the number of aging consumers accessing end-of-life services depict a need for end-of-life service providers and Aging Network service providers to support opportunities to conduct educational outreach through national conferences. Additional research is recommended to analyze opportunities at the local level for education on end-of-life issues for the Aging Network.
