majority, that’s changing, with more men choosing senior living. Truisms in the industry include that men


are easier to deal with and harder to program for, because they may not have connections to religious or hobby communities that wom- en might have cultivated over the years. Get ready for change there, too, Cavis


said. For instance, in memory care, a wom- an might want to care for a baby doll, but so might a man. “Someone might find that unusual. But be open to it, and don’t gen- eralize,” she said. Whatever helps a person tap into their individual life experiences and reduces stress is the right thing to do. “With our baby boomers coming in,


we’re going to really have to open our minds and think about this,” Cavis said.


Awareness: Key to a thriving resident community From The Golden Girls to Frankie and Johnny, images in popular culture reflect the im- portance of gender identity and affinity in seniors’ lives. But the reality can be less pleasant. Older women speak of cliques and “mean girls” even at the senior level, and LGBT older adults have experienced bullying, abuse, and isolation. The solution: articulate and communi- cate a culture of respect for differences,


Gender Breakdown of Senior Residents Nationally


30% Male


said Jason Flatt, PhD, MPH, and assistant professor at the Institute for Health & Ag- ing at University of California, San Fran- cisco, who is involved in several research projects in the areas of LGBT seniors and memory care. Focusing on culture and values is a gen-


tle and effective approach that works for residents, staff, and visitors alike. If prob- lems arise, “the idea isn’t to cause stress or strife, but to refocus on values,” Flatt said. “Communicate that ‘we have respect for all people here, this is a safe and supportive place. Here, we appreciate differences, and differences matter.’”


wealth, and health in different ways. A life- time of systematic bias could put burdens on women and LGBT people in particular, leaving them at a deficit in resources, sup- port, and health.


Workforce: Training and leading in gender issues Cultural competency training is becoming more often required, but even where it’s not regulated, such training can have benefits for the enterprise. Training can start at the top, with exam-


ination of policies and programs as well as marketing and communications, said


Cultural competency training is becoming more often required, but even where it’s not regulated, such training can have benefits for the enterprise. Training can start at the top, with examination of policies and programs as well as marketing and communications, said Lisa Krinsky, director of the LGBT Aging Project at Fenway Health in Boston.


Identity is critical to mental and physical


health in aging, and gender is a big part of identity—and LGBT older adults face real- ities of having to deny their identities. Flatt even cited depression rates of 35 percent among LGBT older adults. Other older adults prefer not to be out,


70% Female


Source: Argentum Quarterly Issue 4 2017: Senior Living Resident Profile


and that should be respected as well, leaders in that area note. There’s a paradox in that creating special programming can inadver- tently out people, so residents should stay aware of this. Creating an individualized friendly-visitor program, or activities that focus on advocacy or programs for “allies” can allow both pride and privacy to coexist. The “good” stereotypes around gender can be just as problematic as the destruc- tive ones: images, for instance, of women as “merry widows” with inheritances and gay male couples as affluent “double income, no kids” partners. But gender and identity affect salaries, home ownership, inherited


Lisa Krinsky, director of the LGBT Aging Project at Fenway Health in Boston, which has been conducting training and education since 2001. But the dining room staff needs training, too—they may see residents more often than anyone else. The guiding factor is to make no as-


sumptions. For instance, at one residence, Krinsky said, caregivers and fellow residents wondered why a resident’s granddaughter had not been to visit her in a while. It turned out the adult grandchild was transitioning to be male, and neither he nor his grand- mother felt safe enough for him to visit. Recruiting a diverse workforce is anoth-


er benefit—it allows tapping into a larger labor pool. Cavis, of Commonwealth, for instance, said recruiting more male caregiv- ers “would be wonderful.” “The male caregivers in our gender-spe-


cific residence are brilliant, and I think our gentlemen like it,” Cavis said. “In any good


JULY/AUGUST 2018 ARGENTUM.ORG 29


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