Housing for Ageing LGBTQ People in Sweden: A Descriptive Study Of Needs, Preferences, and Concerns
BACKGROUND/AIM:
With
an increasing number of ageing people who identify themselves as lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ), there is a risk that traditional
housing for older people fails to meet the needs of these people. The aim of
this study was to describe LGBTQ people's needs, preferences, and concerns
according to ageing and housing.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Based
on a survey (n = 487), and six focus-group discussions (n = 30), with LGBTQ
persons, quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to analyse the
findings.
RESULTS:
When
comparing the ranking of preferences (in terms of activity options,
environmental features, and staff competence) in a senior housing setting
between the LGBTQ people (n = 200) and heterosexual matched controls (n = 198),
only minor differences were detected. The findings from the focus groups
included:
- a dilemma between segregation and openness,
- the importance of
safety associated with ageing together with persons with similar experiences,
and
- networks of persons at different ages connected through close
friendship supported participation in activities in LGBTQ-profiled senior
housing.
CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE:
The
findings provide knowledge to improve awareness of sexual orientation when it
comes to needs and preferences in relation to ageing and housing in a Swedish
context.
- 1 Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Occupational Therapy (http://goo.gl/a0bqIf), Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden ;
- 2 Department of Occupational Therapy , University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago , IL , United States ;
- 3 Per Aase Ltd , Stockholm , Sweden.
- Scand J Occup Ther. 2015 Dec 1:1-10.
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