Promoting awareness of LGBT issues in aging in a baccalaureate nursing program

It is estimated that up to 10 percent of the American population is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) and that up to 7 million members of this population are elderly. Both the Institute of Medicine and Healthy People 2020 have addressed the health disparities that affect elderly members of the LGBT community. Nurses are well positioned to bridge health disparities and provide culturally sensitive care across the lifespan, but compared with that of other disciplines, the nursing literature is lacking in content addressing LGBT health. Eliminating health disparities in the care of LGBT elders should be a priority in nursing education.The authors review the issues LGBT elders face and recommend how content related to LGBT aging can be integrated into nursing curricula.