Meeting the Cultural, Therapeutic, and Individual Needs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered Patient

Abstract

As our population ages, providers will encounter the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patient possessing varying individual degrees of cultural identity and psycho-social acceptance. In addition to adjusting to the debilitating disease or injury, the patient's spouse/domestic partner, adult children, friend(s), and/or parents can play critical roles in his, her, or hir successful rehabilitation and acute and long-term care. This article documents current trends, resources, and research with the aging LGBT population. In addition, this article identifies the multiple contexts and barriers confronting the LGBT patient and LGBT care provider's quality of life. This article offers care practices designed to the experiences, expectations, and needs of older LGBT patients, including HIV-associated dementia, its stages, and its symptoms as it relates to cognitive, motor, and behavioral domains.