The first of five community town-hall meetings that Howard Brown Health Center ( HBHC ) will host this spring will focus on the health needs of Chicago's aging LGBTQ community.
We welcome the participation of seniors and anyone interested in discussing the concerns and health needs of aging LGBTQ individuals. The first Town Hall will be hosted by CEO David Ernesto Munar, Magda Houlberg, MD, Medical Director and geriatrician, and myself on Monday, May 12, 6-7:30 p.m., at the Brown Elephant Resale Store, 3651 N. Halsted St.
HBHC is hosting these meetings as a part of our community needs assessment, which is conducted every five years to get a better understanding of the LGBTQ community's unique health needs and concerns. The information gathered from this community town-hall meeting will be used for planning purposes, and will be shared with the larger community.
It is widely understood that services available for the aging LGBTQ population are limited. Multiple factors point to a critical lack of services for the aging population in general; numbers of older adults are rising exponentially ( 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 each day ). Of 65+ adults, 2 to 15 percent identify as LGBTQ. At the same time, nursing colleges report a shortage of faculty available to students applying for beginning programs, and indicators reveal a significant shortage of graduate nurses specializing in gerontology. Further, nursing programs ( and most medical curricula ) do not require expertise in or provide training to facilitate culturally competent to care for aging LGBTQ individuals, placing those individuals at increased risk for poor health outcomes.
Well-known barriers to care persist for the aging LGBTQ population. HBHC is preparing for the inevitable increase in numbers of 65+ patients/clients ( estimated increase of 24 percent by 2020 and 100 percent by 2040 ) who will present with geriatric health issues and multiple chronic conditions. To be proactive and prepare for the rising numbers of people in need of culturally competent primary care services, HBHC is proud to host this and other community discussions to amplify understanding and support about the health and wellness needs of the over-65 LGBTQ population.
In recent years, we have made progress mitigating health disparities for aging LGBTQ people. However, health issues in our community persist, and there is still important work to be done to meet these needs.
The May 12 session is part of The Chicago Community Trust's "On the Table" initiative, which is mobilizing Chicago area residents to come together to discuss real issues and practical solutions that help shape a collective future for the people of Chicago.
We are eager to hear your stories, and we encourage you to join us in person or via Twitter using hashtag #HBHCTownHalls.
Cec Hardacker, RN, is the HBHC director of geriatric education and lead trainer for the Nurses Health Education About LGBT Elders ( HEALE ) Curriculum. She is currently completing a master's degree in clinical nurse leadership at Rush Medical College. She is bilingual English/Spanish educator and a proud member of Chicago's LGBTQ community. For more information on HEALE, visit www.howardbrown.org/HEALE .
