It matters who does the (unpaid) work: Gender and the provision of informal caregiving by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) aging adults

Abstract

This study examines the provision and expectation of informal caregiving by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) aging adult population. Using data from a 2017 nationwide AARP survey of LGBT aging adults (45+), we examine the effect of gender identity on the likelihood that LGBT older adults have been or anticipate becoming informal caregivers. Our findings reveal that LGBT older adults who are cisgender women, compared to those who are cisgender men, are more likely to have been or expect to be a caregiver for an adult loved one. We conclude that the heteronormative gender expectations and norms associated with caregiving in broader U.S. society could increase the possibility of adverse outcomes for LGBT older adults who are cisgender women, compared to LGBT older adults who are cisgender men.