Title
Aging, Health, and GLBTQ Family and Community Life
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2009
Journal
Journal of GLBT Family Studies
Volume
5
Issue
1&2
First Page
9
Last Page
34
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1080/15504280802595238
Abstract
Older GLBTQ persons face many age-related challenges and opportunities. Some are shared with their heterosexual counterparts, while others more specifically relate to their GLBTQ status. These occur in the contexts of their personal lives, families, social networks, and community and social milieu. One major challenge is health. This article describes a range of issues at the interface of aging, GLBTQ status, family, community, and well-being related to health, describing aspects of social support, health, and health care systems. Prostate cancer is explored as an example of this nexus of factors illustrating how GLBTQ persons may be affected differently from the married, heterosexual image typically assumed in cancer research and clinical attention.