LGBTQ+ caregivers of people with dementia face unique stresses that lead to poorer physical and mental health
Caring for someone living with dementia can be a stressful experience that harms the physical and mental health of caregivers.
- Caring for someone living with dementia can be a stressful experience that harms the physical and mental health of caregivers.
- LGBTQ+ caregivers face unique challenges that can magnify these strains.
- LGBTQ+ caregivers have experienced discrimination, isolation, stigma and other stressors related to their sexual orientation or gender identity and generally have poorer physical and mental health than non-LGBTQ+ caregivers.
LGBTQ+ caregivers by the numbers
- The majority, nearly 80% of LGBTQ+ caregivers, were white, while over a third identified as Latino.
- The majority of the LGBTQ+ caregivers, ranging in age from 21 to 72, were millennials ages 38 or younger.
- Despite relatively high levels of income among LGBTQ+ caregivers overall, lesbian and bisexual caregivers experienced significantly higher levels of difficulty in paying for everyday basics, and queer caregivers more frequently reported incomes of less than US$30,000.
Higher stress
- LGBTQ+ caregivers may be experiencing higher levels of stress than non-LGBTQ+ caregivers because they seek out supportive services less frequently.
- We found that 75% of LGBTQ+ caregivers of people with dementia reported moderate to high levels of perceived stress, and 78% experienced depressive symptoms.
- For example, bisexual and queer caregivers experienced higher stress than those with other identities.
- Racial minority LGBTQ+ caregivers also reported poorer family quality of life and higher levels of depressive symptoms.
An understudied problem
- In 2018, the National Institute on Aging funded only seven studies focused on LGBTQ+ aging.
- To address the underrepresentation of LGBTQ+ caregivers in aging research, my colleagues and I started the RISE Project.