Should Nurses Become More Socially Aware Of The Elderly?

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) are one of the most common and preventable health care problems in the world. The ageism of the population and the increase in the number of older adults, along with healthcare advances that provide better and longer quality of life, has encourage changes in sexuality amongst older adults. This increase has prompted healthcare workers to familiarize themselves with the sexuality of older adults. In this report, I plan to discuss the significance of this topic, the concern for the public, and interventions that can be implemented from a Community Health Nurse prospective.

Health disparities in the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender community that lack fair treatment. This population deals with many adversities due to their sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBT’s community consists of a diverse population of people who come from all walks of life ((Howard, 2016). Many LBGT’s will delay or not seek health care due to stigma and lack of fair treatment. In other words, they believe that they are discriminated against.

This article describes the aging gay and lesbian community. Past research of this community focused more on the gay White man, well-educated, active in the gay community and high socioeconomic backgrounds. This study examines current roles of social work regarding research with older gay men and lesbians and presents recommendations for both practice and research in the years ahead. Not only is this community of sexism, they are also victims of ageism. Future work must strive to be more representative of older lesbians, geographic diversity, and classes because these variables play an important role in shaping the gay aging experience.

Evidence-informed practice is a critical part of nursing care. To be able to have evidence-informed practice, nurses need to be able to conduct research to find the most up-to-date and relevant information related to patient- and family centered care. When caring for patients, it is paramount to recognize the importance of family and the role they play in care. When one comes out as transgender, it is something that is not only going to affect the said person, but also their friends and family. Family members are key support systems so when you are caring for one person, you are in turn caring for the family as well. This is known as patient- and family-centered care. As there has been an increase in literature pertaining to family-centered care, the question of interest is “What is the impact on a spouse when a partner is transgendered?” To find the answer to this clinical question, the database Medline was utilized. The keywords LGBTQ, transgender, family-centered, spouse, nurse, sexuality and health care were used and combined with Boolean operators. Through this research, knowledge can be gained on how to properly care for the spouse of a transgendered person. This paper will discuss the key impacts of having a transgender spouse, nursing approaches that we can integrate into our care, and resources available for the non-transgender spouse.

Sexual diversity among the older generation must be considered. Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) is how 10% of the population identifies itself. By 2030 the percentage of LGBT will have doubled. In the past, this group has been invisible and given little consideration. Organizations such as AARP, Movement Advancement Project and advocacy programs are taking action to address the needs of this population through policy and regulation changes. For residents living in assisted living and skilled nursing homes, the Joint Commission created respect for sexual orientation to the rights of the resident.

The researchers explained that LGBT community faces stress because of the negative experience they receive to obtain services such as day care, homecare and care giving services. Researchers found that “long-term-care residents and staff, 89 percent of respondents believed that staff would discriminate against an LGBT resident and 53 percent believed that staff would abuse or neglect a resident because the resident identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender” (Moone, Croghan, and Olson, 2016). The researchers found that key factors to work with the LBGT population specifically the elder population are to become more welcoming to the population. Also the practitioner must become knowledgeable about the LGBT culture. Moone, Croghan and Olson states, “Building knowledge is an important first step in understanding the unique needs of LGBT older adults in order to provide person-centered and culturally competent care and services. Training allows the practitioner an opportunity to explore basic experiences of and beliefs held in the LGBT community, as well as to trace historical precedents that led to LGBT older adults’ fears of mistreatment by service providers”(2016, p74). The researcher suggests that providers should acknowledge the LGBT elders in paper work and policies. Moone, Croghan and Olson states, “Include LGBT topics or clients in newsletters, Offer LGBT-related resources to clients or families, Update assessment forms to include LGBT welcoming language, Post non-discrimination policies that specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity, Provide sensitivity training on LGBT aging to staff, volunteers, and leadership, Advertise in LGBT periodicals or publications ,Include LGBT people in marketing material, Develop LGBT-specific materials from your

For many individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, finding healthcare professionals who understand their identities and are receptive to their needs can be difficult. Many in the community feel that they have difficulties finding a practice that will respect their identity and provide them with effective and reliable care. For those specifically in the transgender community, these difficulties can increase exponentially, as many doctors are not properly trained to address the specific health needs that transgender individuals can often require. By his senior year, recent Keene State College graduate Kennedy Redden had noticed that both the staff of his school’s health center and the nearby Planned Parenthood had a distinct lack of knowledge about the needs of transgender students. Because of this, Kennedy decided to write a Transgender Health Manual for the school to use in the general education of its healthcare professionals as his senior capstone piece in Community Health.

Lack of culturally competent (CC) healthcare within lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities, poses a severe threat to the health of LGBT individuals, due to the increase in negative health outcomes. These negative outcomes consist of an increased rate of depression, suicide, anxiety, smoking, alcohol use, and sexually transmitted infections (Garbers, Heck, Gold, Santelli, & Bersamin, 2017; Mayer, Bradford, Makadon, Stall, Goldhammer, & Landers, 2008). The lack of cultural knowledge is detrimental to the individual, with cases linked to improper diagnosis,

Though the disease is still infecting many, new technology and medical techniques that include medication have made it possible to live a normal life after being infected with the HIV virus. Doctors are now far past the era in which they would deny care to an HIV-positive patient and that is because they are aware of the disease and are not afraid. Being afraid of something can unknowingly turn a person into a monster. Since being educated doctors and other healthcare professionals have been able to turn a new leaf and hop over to the supporting side of AIDS. Other than being under a doctor’s care, successful strategies for combating AIDS include “increasing awareness about prevention strategies such as using clean needles and condoms and, most recently, promoting male circumcision” (Conley 442). All these biological measures combating the chemical nature of AIDS work hand in hand to reform the social structure of the disease. Those living with AIDS in the United States today are not looked at as if they are lepers, instead they are view as survivors and

LGBTQ elders, regardless of their sexual orientation, face a number of unique health related challenges as they age. Amongst those challenges are increased isolation, stigma, and loss of cognitive functioning (Hoy-Ellis, Ator, Kerr & Milford, 2016). In this essay I have chosen to write on this topic and conducted a literature search on EBSCOhost using the search terms ‘LGBTQ’ and ‘aging.’ The following is based on the article, “Innovative approaches addressing aging and mental health needs in LGBTQ communities” (Hoy-Ellis, Ator, Kerr & Milford, 2016).

The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population has recently become a national health care priority. There are specific health care disparities and barriers to quality health care that significantly affect the LGBT population. A change in medical education curriculum is essential to combat these issues. Health care providers feel undereducated and ill prepared to treat the LGBT population. Research findings indicate there is a significant deficiency in medical education regarding specific LGBT health concerns. Multiple medical and nursing schools have offered LGBT health care focused educational sessions. Evaluation of these courses has shown effectiveness in changing attitudes, increasing knowledge, and improving the clinical skills and comfort level of health care providers. Addressing all aspects of LGBT health issues and utilization of LGBT standardized patients is essential for success. Inclusion of LGBT health concerns into core curriculum will augment the success of these seminars. Using this information, Physician Assistant programs can change their curriculum to address the specific needs of the LGBT population.

The phenomenon of interest of an underserved, vulnerable population, specifically the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is one that needs an agent of change. The LGBT community faces many health care disparities, which in turn, prevents this population from seeking medical care. The preservation of dignity and human flourishing cannot occur when a patient feels judged, stigmatized, or discriminated against while obtaining medical care. The negative attention this population receives, prevents them from entering into a healing relationship and some refused to seek medical attention altogether.

Illness and disease are two components that have a universal impact on all of mankind regardless of age, gender, race, and culture. HIV is an acronym for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and is a disease that anyone is susceptible to anyone despite the stigmas heavily portrayed through media. Many different cultures are impacted through HIV and one of these is the LGBTQ community. Within the gay community and culture, HIV prevalent and more common.

Throughout society, social workers interact with oppressed groups far and wide. Social workers work with these groups in hopes of pursuing social justice and to better the lives of these groups with the usage of clinical referrals, providing individual and group therapy, welfare, and beyond the spectrum as they establish a rapport with their clients simultaneously. One of the many groups is the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) community. For as long as history can write itself, the LGBTQ community has faced various forms of attacks to their population; which then damages society as a whole. The LGBTQ community faces several forms of oppression that is based off of the fear, unfamiliarity, and hatred of those around them. This may cause them to have an enormous distrust in society, suicide, and prominent discomfort. It is the social worker’s responsibility to address this community’s pain and provide them the means, including empathy and appropriate resources, necessary to climb the social ladder to equality physically and mentally.

The LGBTQ community is one that is often forgotten and over-shadowed by the predominant heteronormative society, in which they live. This results in violent repercussions throughout every aspect of their social lives, it effects the quality of support and services they receive, from both their loved ones and through formal institutions. This causes serious harm for this minoritized community, as shown through the prevalence of mental disorders amongst the population. The increased awareness of the LGBTQ community, calls for the social work profession to change its approach to better serve the LGBTQ people, such as a gaining of knowledge, self-reflection, and the elimination of hidden biases or prejudices against its members; though the ways in which these modifications take place vary across the field of social work.