Kristina M. Hash

Caregiving and Post-Caregiving Experiences of Midlife and Older Gay Men and Lesbians

Abstract Purpose: This study examines the experiences of midlife and older gay men and lesbians caring for chronically ill, same-sex partners. This study also accounts for their experiences in ’post-caregiving,’ or the period following the cessation of care. Design and Methods: Using a qualitative methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted with nineteen gay men and lesbians over 50. Results: Respondents reported similar experiences in caregiving as those in previous studies looking at caregiving for older adult spouses and relatives (including physical and emotional strains). Similarly, respondents experienced loneliness and depression following the loss of the caregiving role. Unique aspects of the experience for gay and lesbian caregivers caring for same-sex partners, however, involved their interactions with formal and informal support persons and services and their long-term planning and decision-making processes. Implications: In light of their experiences, respondents offered their opinions about formal support services and professionals as well as their suggestions for changes that should be made to these as well as larger systems. Their suggestions and experiences guided the implications offered for health and human services.

It Takes a Community: Older Lesbians Meeting Social and Care Needs

Although specialized formal services are becoming more prevalent in addressing the needs of the older LGBT community, little is known about informal groups that have organized to meet the needs of this population. This article presents two case examples that depict the efforts of older lesbians to meet the social and care needs of members of their communities. The concept of psychological contracting is used to analyze these experiences, and combined with a review of the literature, practice implications for care and support for this special population are discussed.

‘Hearing the Real Stories about the Issues at Hand’: Politically Active Elders Engage Bachelor in Social Work (BSW) Students in Influencing Social Policy

This article focuses on the successes and challenges experienced by a social work program offering experiential learning opportunities to bachelor in social work (BSW) students. As part of the BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program, policy students collaborated with politically active older adults to develop compelling letters to the editor of a newspaper and influential letters to state-level legislators concerning policies impacting older adults. Using a two-year quasi-experimental design, one section of the course paired students with older adults while the other section served as the control group. Although no significant differences were found in influencing student interest in working with older adults, students paired with older adults showed greater confidence in and learning of the content. Lessons learned from this experience and implications for future implementation will be detailed.

The Development and Evaluation of Online Learning Modules to Deliver Lifespan Content in Human Behavior in Social Environment Courses

This article details the development and evaluation of a lifespan development computer modules that were used in human behavior in social environment courses. An anonymous, Web-based survey was developed to evaluate the modules. Supporting the first hypothesis, the majority of students (83.5%) found the modules to be a good learning alternative. The hypotheses that MSW students will experience more barriers to Web-based instruction and that students who previously mastered more content will spend less time on mobdules than students who previously mastered less content were not supported. Lessons learned provide implications for the use of computer-assisted instruction.

Caregiving in the LGBT Community

Caregiving is a challenging yet rewarding life role that many individuals are called to fulfi ll for friends and family members. Research on caregiving for older adults has been growing rapidly in the past 30 years, identifying the many strains involved in as well as the positive outcomes of providing care. Only recently have studies in this area shed light on the experiences of sexual and gender minority caregivers and receivers. This body of research has illuminated the common challenges that face these individuals but also the unique stressors that they experience given their status. This chapter discusses the caregiving role in general as well as examines research specific to older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender caregivers. The related topic of loss and bereavement as well as best practices and future directions with this population are also addressed.

Context-driven gero-infusion: lessons learned from a curriculum development institute cohort

Abstract This article describes and compares the successes and challenges experienced by three social work programs in the United States working to infuse geriatric competencies into foundation Master of Social Work (MSW) courses, including field education. Adhering to the Planned Change Model each project utilized a range of approaches and strategies that emerged in each setting’s unique organizational and community context. This article examines and analyzes three context-driven accounts of curricular infusion for gerontological social work and lessons learned in this effort to establish gerontology as part of the implicit curriculum in social work programs in universities diverse in mission, size, programming priorities, and student population. Given the experiences of these programs, following the Planned Change Model, maintaining the context as being central to the process, anticipating common challenges, and preparing to engage strategies to overcome challenges are offered as recommendations for successful infusion and sustainment of the efforts.

Educating the MSTEM Workforce to Address the Needs of Aging Societies: A Call for Best Practices

Within the next 30 years, the number of older adults will nearly double, resulting in 22% of the world’s population being age 65þ (Steverson, 2018). This rise in numbers, coupled with increasing life expectancies (Chatterji, Byles, Cutler, Seeman, & Verdes, 2015), will make the needs and preferences of older adults become more salient across a variety of domains. In addition, the older adult population is also growing in diversity. Diversity is not limited to race and ethnicity but also includes native language, health beliefs and behaviors, religious diversity, sexual orientation, geography, and their intersections. Thus, existing services, products, and programs will need to accommodate this growth, and new areas will develop as a result. Growth in the need for specialists in aging within the health and human service fields has been projected for more than a decade by professional organizations like the American Psychological Association (DeAngelis, 2008) and continues to be highlighted by business organizations like Forbes (Kauflin, 2017) and by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics (2015). As the world population ages, we have an increased need for a workforce that is well versed in aging and not just in the human

Innovative Experiential Learning Activities in Aging: The Experiences of Four BEL Projects

ABSTRACTThe BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program aims to infuse intergenerational content into the curriculum and recruit students to the field of social work by implementing face-to-face learning opportunities with older adults. This article discusses and compares the experiences of 4 diverse BEL projects that implemented gero-experiential learning activities into 1 or more of the BSW curriculum areas: introduction/social work practice, social welfare policy, human behavior in the social environment, social work research, and field practicum. “Three keys to success” are offered as ways in which gero-experiential activities may be successfully implemented by other programs.

Conclusion and Future Directions

This chapter summarizes and concludes the volume. It reviews the literature on older LGBT adults, including what is known about the health, mental health, caregiving, and social supports of older LGBT adults. The chapter also includes a summary of best practices for work with this population as well as what is still needed by way of service, research, and policy considerations to increase the quality of services and reduce service barriers for older LGBT adults. Last, service, research, and policy recommendations are offered in an effort to improve service access and provision to older LGBT adults, with the ultimate goal of improving the health and well-being of those in this population.

Introduction to LGBT Aging

This chapter provides an introduction to the volume, Contemporary Issues and Future Directions in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Aging. The volume examines current research, concepts, and theories related to the unique experience of aging as a sexual and gender minority. Issues such as caregiving, sexual health, social supports, and mental health among this population as well as the experiences of bisexual and transgender elders and those who are veterans and residents of rural communities are discussed within the volume. The larger issues of policies and services targeting the needs of older LGBT adults are also addressed. Future directions and opportunities to improve the aging experiences of this population are offered throughout the volume. This introductory chapter will set the stage for these topics and issues by providing a background to the field, the population, and the contemporary issues that impact their lives and well-being.