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International human rights movements have improved the visibility and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender+ (LGBT+) communities and their members. Health outcomes for LGBT+ people remain, however, worse than for their non-LGBT+ peers. Older LGBT+ people have experienced fewer positive changes, in part due to their lived experience of discrimination and their ongoing, unintentional invisibility in medical and social care. This article highlights the impacts of societal structure, health and social care on the lives of older LGBT+ people including physical and mental health, End of Life, Dementia, Housing and Care Settings, and a focus on the experiences of trans-people. We look at the existing improvements developed by LGBT+ communities (and their allies) and propose refreshing Person-Centred Care to improve inclusivity. Finally, we provide a framework for looking at the areas in which service challenges arise and suggest ways to address these to make health and social care services more ready to meet the needs of older LGBT+ people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study adopted a structural perspective in the examination of life events in the context of an individual's life story. Ten men and ten women at each of three age groups (young, middle-aged, and older adulthood) identified, on a time line, personally significant life events from their past and anticipated future. Results indicated that women identified a greater number of life events and reported a younger age corresponding to their first event than did men; this was especially true for older women. Older participants, in general, identified fewer future events than did younger participants and reported an older age for their last event; the corresponding range of time covered from the first to the last event was also longer. Event type also varied by age and gender. Recency played a central role in the allocation of life events, although late adolescence and early adulthood were especially dense event periods for all groups. Discussion focuses on the roles of gender, age, and the life course in the ways in which events are configured in the life story.

This qualitative Canadian study explores advance care planning among LGBTQ older adults living in non-metropolitan regions in the province of British Columbia. We examined the level of engagement in advance care planning (ACP) among LGBTQ persons and introduced a region-specific ACP Tool to our participants. Six focus groups were held with 32 participants with ages ranging from 55 to 84 years (M = 67.3 years). The focus group transcripts were audio recorded, transcribed and manually coded for themes. The four overarching themes were information uncertainty; the planning tool; the temporary substitute decision maker; and the LGBTQ perspective. Implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We investigated associations between stress and mental health (positive affect, depressive symptoms) among HIV-negative and HIV-positive midlife and older gay-identified men, along with the mediating and moderating effects of mastery and emotional support. We also studied the mental health effects of same-sex marriage. Methods. We obtained data from self-administered questionnaires completed in 2009 or 2010 by a subsample (n=202; average age=56.91 years; age range= 44-75 years) of participants in the University of California, Los Angeles component of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, one of the largest and longest-running natural-history studies of HIV/AIDS in the United States. Results. Both sexual minority stress (perceived gay-related stigma, excessive HIV bereavements) and aging-related stress (independence and fiscal concerns) appeared to have been detrimental to mental health. Sense of mastery partially mediated these associations. Being legally married was significantly protective net of all covariates, including having a domestic partner but not being married. Education, HIV status, and race/ethnicity had no significant effects. Conclusions. Sexual minority and aging-related stress significantly affected the emotional lives of these men. Personal sense of mastery may help to sustain them as they age. We observed specific mental health benefits of same-sex legal marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports findings from a modified World Café conducted at a palliative care professional conference in 2019, where input on tools to support advance care planning (ACP) was solicited from healthcare practitioners, managers and family members of patients. Barriers to ACP tool use included insufficient structures and resources in healthcare, death-avoidance culture and inadequate patient and family member engagement. Recommendations for tool use included clarification of roles and processes, training, mandates and monitoring, leadership support, greater reflection of diversity in tools and methods for public engagement. This paper illuminates factors to consider when implementing ACP tools in healthcare., (Copyright © 2021 Longwoods Publishing.)