Next Step in Care: Family Caregivers & Health Care Professionals Working Together
Guides & Checklists
- For Family Caregivers
- For Health Care Providers
- Para Cuidadores Familiares
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- Для лиц, ответственных за медицинский уход
- Quality Improvement Surveys
LGBT Caregiving
Introduction
A Guide to LGBT Caregiving
Caregiving is often challenging. Those who provide or manage the care of someone with a serious or chronic illness may feel emotional distress and physical strain. Caregivers can experience financial difficulties and find it hard or frustrating to coordinate care. Caregiving also offers many rewards. These rewards include the affirmation of love and respect between the caregiver and person being cared for.
People who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT)
—whether they are caregivers or the ones in need of care (and, often, both are LGBT)—may encounter special challenges. This guide looks at some of those challenges, including a change in care setting, such as an admission to a hospital followed by a discharge to home or a nursing home rehab program.
In this guide, the term “family caregivers” refers to all people who provide or manage the care of someone who is chronically or seriously ill. Family caregivers may be part of the patient’s family of origin or family of choice. For this reason, this guide may refer to the person you are caring for as your “family member.”
You Are Not Alone
About one in five adult Americans (as well as many teens and even children) is 
involved in caregiving. As a group, LGBT individuals are particularly likely to be caregivers. This is because many are single and/or childless. Their families of origin may see them (or they may see themselves) as someone most available to care for older family members. Many have formed close attachments to others in the LGBT community. They understand the need of individuals who are aging or ill for emotional and practical support from familiar people.
Special History of Caregiving in the LGBT Population
In the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, gay men and lesbians were the main, and sometimes only, caregivers for their friends and loved ones. This experience made a deep impact on the generation that lived through it and may now need care. Some may remember the stigma and fear. Others may focus on the community taking care of their own.
Having experienced rejection and disrespect in health care settings, many older LGBT individuals avoid seeing a health care provider until a serious problem arises. Others have found a primary care provider who is comfortable with LGBT patients. These LGBT-friendly health care professionals may not be available when your family member has a medical emergency or is admitted to a hospital or nursing home. Problems can also arise when your family member needs health care services at home.