HJNO Sep/Oct 2021

46   SEP / OCT 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN  SENIOR HEALTH THEYwere in their 20s, 30s and 40s dur- ing the height of the gay rights movement and amid the crux of the HIV pandemic. Members of the LGBT Silent Generation (born 1929-1945) and their followers, the Baby Boomers, were pioneers of change, advocates for social justice and pursuers of equality and acceptance. They suffered gross injustices, were labeled everything from criminals to mentally ill and came out at a time in history when it was often dangerous to do so. Today, they are in their 70s, 80s and 90s. And now, as surprising as it sounds, the group that fought to make it acceptable to come out of the closet are often faced with an unexpected new chal- lenge—the fear of having to go back in LGBT Seniors Fear Return to a Closeted Life: How Healthcare Providers Can Lend Support & Understanding when considering long-term care. According to AARP’s “Maintaining Dig- nity” study, apprehensions about long- term care rank among the top three con- cerns for aging LGBT Americans. The research suggests that when considering long-term care services, nearly 70% of LGBT seniors are concerned about ne- glect, 62% are worried about abuse and 60% are fearful of verbal or physical ha- rassment based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. It is estimated that ap- proximately 75% of LGBT seniors go back in the closet when entering long-term care or when facing a major health transition. Karen Cushing of Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) says that LGBT seniors who need nursing care or assisted living placement are often faced with a huge dilemma. Do they stay at home or risk societal stigma in their pursuit of sup- portive aging services? Cushing states, “Members of the LGBT community have always viewed their home as a safe haven, a place where there is no judging, no fin- ger pointing.” She challenges providers to “look at yourself and where you are most comfortable — LGBT seniors do not want to give that up. Most importantly, they don’t want to give up who they are.” To understand the fear, it is helpful to remind ourselves of the beginning. Most LGBT seniors from the late Boomer and Silent Generations have endured a lifetime