Later adulthood is a period of many changes for all people. The experiences of aging LGBT persons may be categorized as regular experiences that accompany old age, with the addition of the legacies of discrimination and stigma. A unique set of challenges that includes not only the common aging difficulties, but the uncertainty when it comes to elderly care poses a lot of important questions even today. The recent emergence of LGBT retirement homes and centers in major cities leads to the belief that there are still places where you can grow old being yourself, without having to suffer discriminatory treatment in a regular retirement center. The fact remains that knowing the challenges you can face in your aging days, will help you go through this period much easier. Here are some of the things that you might have not heard about, but they can still pose a risk for your health.
Depression
According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that almost 350 million people are affected by depression worldwide, regardless of their age. In its worst outcome, it can lead to suicide. Among older adults (in the general population) there are 1 to 5 percent of people with major depression, while that number grows up to 13.5 for those who need home care. Studies of both older lesbians and gay men pointed out that they have elevated levels of depression. Shippy and colleagues showed that 30 percent of the participants in their research (233 gay men aged 50 to 87) reported depression. Bradford and colleagues found that among 3 percent of their sample (1, 925 lesbians aged 17 to 80) more than 55 percent reported an experience with depression. It is important to report such issues to your care giver or any doctor.
Cancer
This is the one silent disease sneaking up to everyone regardless of their age or sexuality. And that is why it is important to be aware of the danger and visit your doctor regularly. There are some forms that pose a greater risk than the others.
Prostate Cancer
This form of cancer has the highest prevalence among men over the age of 60, in general. Most of our knowledge about prostate cancer is focused on erectile dysfunction and is based on aging heterosexual men in long relationships. And there is a certain level of limited understanding of prostate-related problems with gay men. Still, there has been no evidence of increased rates of prostate cancer among older gay men or transgender women.
Breast Cancer
The most prevalent form of cancer for women in their later life is breast cancer. In fact, in most of the studies it has been suggested that non-heterosexual women had higher rates of breast cancer. They were also less likely to have mammograms. Regular checkups are essential for remaining healthy, and after the age of 40.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of blindness and severe vision loss. It is estimated that one in seven people is affected by this disease, among the population older than 50. There are no indicators that this condition impacts the LGBT community more, but since studies show that homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender will avoid or delay health care more often, it can pose a greater damage. Since this is a progressive condition it is important to ask for medical aid and as soon as possible undergo a macular degeneration treatment, which can slow down or stop the progress, and thus prevent further loss of vision.
Cardiovascular Disease
LGBT population is more sensitive to cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, due to the huge amount of stress they are dealing with, because of the increased amount of stress they are exposed to. In fact, a study done by Friss-Moller showed that antiretroviral treatment can be linked with cardiovascular conditions, such as myocardial infarction. For transgender individuals, hormone therapy can have some negative effects on certain risk factors. These diseases can easily be overlooked, because they take long periods to develop. It is important to take them seriously, reduce the risk factors (smoking, stress, alcohol, etc.) and consult a doctor.
In the end, we can only advise precaution when it comes to your health. The particular challenges you are facing are certainly difficult, but there is no reason not to face them the right way and get out of this battle as a winner.
