Special Health Care Considerations for Aging Transgender Individuals
Julianne Remus
Research Assistant, Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing
New York University College of Nursing/
Masters Candidate, Communicative Sciences & Disorders
The room was still as Mr. Stone recounted his friend and colleague’s passing. She had been a major influence in the community. She knew exactly who she was, and she helped countless others as they made their own transitions into their true selves. But when she became ill, her family and health care providers treated her as if she were a man. And when she died, they buried her as a man, excluding her chosen family—her community—from the ceremonies. Mr. Stone lamented not only the death of his dear friend, but also the loss of closure, which was denied him and many others.
This story was shared recently at the 11th Annual Philadelphia Trans Health Conference during a workshop titled “Being Trans and Aging: A Workshop for Trans Elders and Their Allies,” presented by Moonhawk River Stone, M.S., LMHC. The conference features presenters from all over the world, and from many disciplines. Along with the presenters, transgender individuals, loved ones, service providers, and anyone else who values acceptance come together annually for three days to discuss health issues facing transgender people of all ages.
The workshop presented by Mr. Stone was an emotional and interactive discussion that touched on a myriad of issues regarding aging transgender people. Many of these issues apply to all older adults, such as, “Do you have access to adequate heating/cooling, accessibility of your living space, nutritional resources? How comfortable do you feel talking about yourself and your aging needs? What are your beliefs and attitudes toward becoming chronically ill or disabled? What do you do to stay active?, etc.”
Other issues were unique to transgender individuals: “Are you out to your physician? Are they competent in transgender medicine? Can you talk with them about aging issues relevant to things like hormone usage and levels? or mixed anatomy issues?, etc.” These questions, and others like them, are appropriate for both older adults who transitioned in their youth, and for older adults who are currently transitioning.
The number of transitioning older adults is growing. Health care providers need to consider how best to administer hormones, the risks of surgery, and effective and sensitive approaches to discussing these issues with transgender older adults.
As always, the patient’s choice is the most important consideration. It is a tragedy that Mr. Stone’s friend was denied this basic right. We all deserve to be treated with dignity and the best possible health care throughout the aging process.
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June is LGBT Pride Month, but health care service providers need to be improving the health of transgender people year-round. Here are some things you can do to improve health care for transgender older adults:
- Create/support sexual orientation and gender identity policies at your workplace
- Encourage transgender patients to protect themselves legally: lambdalegal.org
- Learn more about the key challenges facing transgender older adults: sageusa.org and transequality.org
- Attend next year’s Philadelphia Trans Health Conference: trans-health.org
Additional Resources:
- American Nurses Association on LGBT Individuals & Communities
- IOM Report: The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding
- Fact sheets and reports from the National Coalition for LGBT Health
- NY state and LGBT health
I really enjoyed reading this blog. I have been reading lately on GLBT elderly people. Some of the work, while limited, is really interesting. Transgender people are often left out of the discussion, but the issue of marriage equality is particularly important to them, as well as GLB people of color, since they tend to earn less over their lifetimes and are left with a lack of access to their life partners’ benefits as they age and enter into assisted living and other nursing facilities. Many GLBT people not only face increased discrimination in such facilities, but they also face serious economic uncertainty. And many can’t afford the legal fees necessary to establish a series of contracts that might connect them to their partners, albeit not as firmly or clearly or cheaply as marriage would.
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