Session 303 - Gay and Gray VIII: Improving the Mental Healthcare of Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender PATIENTS Through Appreciation of Their Diverse, Intersecting Social Identities

Abstract

Abstract: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults seeking mental healthcare are a diverse group, and individual LGBT patients and caregivers have many intersecting social identities—as sexual minorities, older adults, and mental health patients. In addition, individual patients and caregivers may have other relevant social identities as a result of membership in a racial/ethnic minority group, an immigrant group, a profession, or some other characteristic. Placing patients in unitary categories such as “gay,” “black,” “old,” or “poor,” even while intending to convey openness and inclusivity, may result in overt stereotyping or implicit bias. Intersectionality theory, which emphasizes that people have multiple intersecting identities that may affect how they relate to one another, will be presented as a key to providing more inclusive geriatric mental healthcare. The session will begin with a traditional lecture introducing and defining intersectionality theory, describing its history, and exploring its clinical applicability. The intersecting social identities of older LGBT adults and research findings on their mental health effects—both positive and negative—will then be discussed. A case presentation will illustrate how practically to apply the rubric of intersecting social identities toward providing care that is more culturally sensitive and inclusive for patients and their caregivers. A key point involves recognizing that social identities are often the source of personal strengths as well as potential liabilities such as discrimination. For example, an identity as an older adult begets experience and wisdom in addition to the risks of frailty, disability, or ageism. Furthermore, the intersecting identities of being both gay and an older adult may lead to even more resilience based on surviving many years of social stress during less open-minded times. Allowing for subjective experience while using intersecting identities to help patients and caregivers develop resilience, self-value, and a stable self-definition will be emphasized. The session will conclude with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions and/or share their experiences.