Older GLBT Family and Community Life

It is a well known fact that our population of persons aged 65 and over are growing at a faster rate than any other demographic. Older adults are now living longer more complex lives than previous generations. Recent census data confirms the emergence of a growing, more visible older Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) community. In spite of the diversity that now exists in older GLBT communities, very little is known about their contemporary experiences and healthcare needs. What is needed is a more inclusive understanding of older GLBT family and community life. As a result, this book will educate community professionals about the experiences of older GLBT adults and the issues they face within their families and communities. In particular, physical and mental health, family relationships, and individual development are explored in this textbook. This multidisciplinary approach to GLBT aging will also benefit undergraduate students, graduate students, and academics specializing in anthropology, education, family studies, gerontology, health studies, human development, psychology, social work, and sociology. For that matter, anyone currently researching or working with older sexual communities. This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of GLBT Family Studies.

Christine A. Fruhauf, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development & Family Studies, and Program Coordinator for the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Studies Program at Colorado State University. Christine's research interests include pedagogical issues pertaining to gerontological education, family caregiving focusing on young adult caregivers, and grandparent-grandchild connections. Dan Mahoney, Ph. D. is an Associate Professor at Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada and is also a family sociologist with an interest in the social, cultural and interpersonal context of families with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) members. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of health, research methods, sexuality, and family studies. His methodological interests in family-based research include interpretive ethnography; self-reflexive storytelling; and thematic narrative analysis.

1. Foreword: Older GLBT Family and Community Life: Contemporary Experiences, Realities, and Future Directions Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen 2. Introduction Christine A. Fruhauf and Dan Mahoney INTERSECTION OF OLDER GLBT HEALTH ISSUES 3. Aging, Health, and GLBTQ Family and Community Life Thomas O. Blank, Marysol Asencio, Lara Descartes, and Julie Griggs 4. Graceful Exits: Intersection of Aging, Transgender Identities, and the Family/Community Tarynn M. Witten 5. Buddhist Psychotherapy with Older GLBT Clients John A. Blando THE DIMENSIONS AND PROCESSES OF OLDER GLBT FRIENDSHIPS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS 6. The Meaning of Friendships for Gay Men and Lesbians in the Second Half of Life Brian de Vries and David Megathlin 7. The Coming-Out Process of Gay Grandfathers: Perceptions of Their Adult Children's Influence Christine A. Fruhauf, Nancy A. Orel, and David A. Jenkins THE STORIED, COMPLEX LIVES OF OLDER GLBT ADULTS 8. Choice and Its Limits in Older Lesbian and Gay Narratives of Relational Life Brian Heaphy 9. Gay Male Sexual Identity in the Mid-Twentieth Century: Familial Reaction-A Case Study of Three Older Gay Men Steven Pugh 10. Doing What We Can: A Gay Son's Tale of Caring and Devotion-Personal Narrative as Sociology Dan Mahoney