Diversity Rules Magazine

10 Diversity Rules Magazine March 2015 Health professionals who care for older adults can pio- neer fairer and more equi- table treatment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals subject to unfair discrimination in health care and society, this according to a new position statement from the American Geriatrics Society (AGS). e statement tackles the present realities of prejudice due to age, sexual orientation, gender, and other personal traits, and also charts a path forward by advocating policies for equal treat- ment, professional training on LGBT needs, deeper awareness of unique circumstances facing LGBT older adults, and an enhanced research agenda supporting the same. "Like aging, sexual orientation, gender, and other stig- matized personal characteristics can pose barriers to high-quality, patient-centered care. ese unnecessary barriers need to be addressed head-on, particularly as the number of older adults requiring complex, sensi- tive care continues to grow," said Joseph Shega, MD, who chairs the AGS Ethics Committee responsible for the statement. "is AGS initiative is about more than equitable standards of care. It's about supporting and sustaining a dialogue that can open quality health care to those who have been disenfranchised, and keep it accessible for generations to come." Rooted in the belief that high-quality care for older LGBT adults necessitates interdisciplinary collabora- tion, the AGS statement outlines concrete measures for organizations, advocacy groups, and medical spe- cialties committed to discrimination-free health care. ese measures include encouraging health providers and their institutions to · Create, evaluate, and publicize policies for equal treatment of LGBT patients regardless of age; · Implement LGBT health training programs for pro- fessionals who treat older individuals; · Support high-quality research addressing LGBT health and discrimination; and · Ensure that older LGBT adult care reflects the par- ticular healthcare and social circumstances these pa- tients face, from the role of partners and chosen family members in health de- cisions to the need for a supportive culture of respect. Such recommenda- tions come at a crossroads for the older LGBT commu- nity: health care and society continue to wrestle with an unfair past and a more hopeful future, even as the nation's older population continues to grow. Studies still put compliance with existing regulations prohibit- ing LGBT discrimination in health facilities well be- low 100 percent. Additionally, evidence suggests that LGBT patients who sense a clinician's discomfort or lack of knowledge–unintentional or otherwise–may be less inclined to pursue important healthcare decisions. Two-thirds of LGBT baby boomers, for example, have not completed a health proxy, and only 22 percent of older LGBT adults in supportive living facilities feel comfortable being open with staff about sexual orien- tation or gender identity. LGBT research also represents only a small subset of overall health scholarship. A 2011 study found that 0.3 percent of articles in the PubMed database addressed LGBT health. Lack of scientific inquiry, unequal treat- ment, and the potential for additional racial or ethnic discrimination can make overcoming health barriers all the more pressing–and important–for LGBT adults. "Raising the bar for high-quality, culturally sensitive geriatric care in all forms and for all people is so im- portant to creating an empowered public equipped to advocate on its own behalf and in concert with health providers," said Alexia Torke, MD, MS, who contrib- uted to the statement. "We–patients and providers alike–need to share and celebrate these recommenda- tions, and live them in our personal and professional lives. It's our hope they'll be a rising tide that lifts all ships." "Care of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Older Adults" was developed by the AGS Ethics Committee, Geriatric - Con't on Page 20 Caring For Older LGBT Adults AGS Releases New Recommendations www.americangeriatrics.org

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