Implications for nurses
content about the specific care needs older adults, is virtually nonexistent in nursing textbooks. Only eight of 5,000 nursing journal article concentrated on LGBT health issues. Without this information, nurses cannot provide culturally competent care. The first step nurses can take to care for LGBT older adults is to realize that they already have LGBT patients or residents. Given lifetime experiences of negativity at best and violence at worst, LGBT adults may not always openly share their identify with health care providers. Furthermore, LGBT older adults may have prior life experiences, such as having been married or having children, that cause nurses to assume heterosexuality.
Nurses can also change the way they ask for information, both verbally and in writing. Questions about sexual orientation and gender identity should be routinely asked of all patients or residents. Given the discrimination faced by LGBT older adults, the nurse must preface this information with why the questions are being asked: “To provide the best and most sensitive care for all of our patients we ask questions that may seem different”. Also, questions about sexual orientation and gender identify need to be asked separately, as they are unrelated. On forms, a blank line can be included after the “mate” and “female” choices, to allow older adults to table their own gender. Another option is to ask “What is your gender?” and leave a blank to allow for an individual to complete the question as he or she believes appropriate. Questions such as marital status may need to be amended; one possibility is to offer the choice “married/partnered”. The Table includes helpful resources for nurses and other health care providers. Additionally, the nurse should inquire about social support and the older adult’s social network. A recent study found that higher level of social support and larger social network acted as protective factors for gay, lesbian, and bisexual older adults. These protective factors reduced the odds that the older adult would suffer from depression and overall poor health.