Going into residential care can be like going back into the closet for older gay people, according to a new Kingston University study.
The report, written by sociology lecturer Dr Andrew King from Kingston University (pictured), also highlights a lack of dedicated social spaces for older LGBT people and a need for council and NHS staff to be much more aware of LGBT issues.
Charity Age UK estimates that 1 in 15 users of their services are lesbian or gay.
The qualitative research, commissioned by Tower Hamlets Borough Council and co-written with Dr Ann Cronin, involved detailed interviews with 22 older lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals across a range of income levels during a period of three months.
The project also encompassed focus groups and a thorough review of existing research. It revealed that accessing services and support can be a difficult and worrying experience.
Participants also expressed concerns about homophobia or not being treated with respect by day and/or residential carers, and worries about having to hide any clues to their sexuality – such as gay magazines – in their homes.
The report also found that some older lesbian and gay people who joined local community groups felt excluded because of the automatic presumption that everyone was heterosexual.
The key recommendations made in the report include making dedicated social spaces available for older LGBT people as an alternative to the commercial gay scene, which is seen as both ageist and expensive. It also suggests developing a more open and inclusive atmosphere in such places as GP surgeries and libraries, and ongoing awareness training for staff.
“Older LGBT people grew up in a much more homophobic and transphobic climate than we have now,” report co-author Dr Andrew King from Kingston University said. “For some that has had a bigger impact than others. One gay man said he would only go to gay clubs a long way from his home. There have been many legal advances in recent years, such as the Civil Partnership Act and Gender Recognition Act, but it’s how all this is actually played out in everyday lives that really counts.”
A series of workshops has been taking place with service providers during the past year to make them aware of issues facing older LGBT adults and to prompt them to come up with ideas to improve their services with this knowledge in mind.
The final stage of the project, which received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, is a showcase conference in London on November 9 at which the research findings will be discussed with service providers and older LGBT people in Tower Hamlets. Ideas generated will be disseminated nationally to help facilitate the development of good practices and ensure that the services provided by local authorities benefit all residents, regardless of sexual orientation.
“The hope is that other councils, NHS trusts and service providers around the UK will be able to adapt and adopt the policies for older LGBT people in their own areas,” Dr King said.
