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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Arnold H. Grossman, PhD, ACSW, Department of Health Studies, New York University, 35 West 4th Street - Suite 1200, New York, NY 10012, 212-998-5615, arnold.grossman@nyu.edu, Anthony R. D'Augelli, PhD, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, 105Q White Building, State College, PA 16802, and Eliza A. Dragowski, MA, Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, 239 Greene Street, New York, NY 10012.
Many middle-aged and older lesbian, gay and bisexual (lgb) adults have support networks that are significant in size and in the satisfaction they provide. Despite the existence of these networks, clinical and anecdotal reports indicate that some middle-aged and older adults express concern that they would have no one to depend on if they needed care. Internalizing society's heterosexual model, many presume that caregiving for adults is provided by members of one's family of origin or by one's offspring. As many middle-aged and older lgb adults experienced their early developmental years when society viewed homosexuals as mentally ill, sinful and deviant, they have not disclose d their sexual orientation to their families or to their children, and thus have less access to these traditional sources of care in time of need. This study was designed to investigate caregiving patterns among middle-aged and older lgb adults and to determine the factors that predict willingness to provide care. Findings from a survey of 199 adults will be reported. Initial analyses reveal that significant numbers of these adults have provided care to others in the last five years and are willing to provide care to other lgb adults and to heterosexual people. Willingness to provide care was found to be positively correlated with expecting personal satisfaction as a result of providing care, with a lower perceived burden of prior caregiving experiences, and with higher levels of task-oriented coping skills. Other predictors of willingness to provide care will be reported, as well as gender differences
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants should be able to
Keywords: Aging, Caregivers
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.