Next week NSRC is heading to Chicago for the 2009 AARP Diversity and Aging: Power of Inclusion Conference.
We'll be presenting on the need to include sexual identity and sexuality itself within the framework of all diversity dialogues on aging. Most people think of diversity embodying such things as culture, race, sexual identity, gender, class, immigration status, disability, faith and so forth... Our intention is to ensure that healthy sexuality/sexual literacy itself is also included on that list and then integrated within future dialogues on aging and diversity.
It's not easy for people working with older adults to talk about sexuality and LGBT issues and so for many, the discussion does not exist at all or when it does it erupts from a reaction to a problem, dysfunction or disease rather than as a proactive solution to greater health, happiness and well being. NSRC wants to work with AARP and other national partners to think about how we might all be able to expand dialogues and policies about sexuality and aging in ways that embrace and respect older adults-providing them with the health, dignity and civil rights they deserve. Many if not the majority of professionals working with older adults have no training, no language, no policies and no leadership when it comes to including sexuality within their work. They are scared (and understandably so) and so they suffer a great deal in their own way....feeling forced into silence and inaction on sexual issues that impact the very health, happiness and well being of those they work with every day. As AARP so often says, We Can Do Better. And we are, together.
AARP has been and continues to be an important national leader in beginning to include LGBT older adults within the field of aging. At this conference alone there are six workshops focused on LGBT older adults and 3 workshops on sexuality itself amongst all older adults (and these are just the workshops that mention something sexuality related within their titles, there are likely many others which include sexual identity and sexuality as an integrated part of their given diversity topics).
Last year, AARP sponsored for the very first time the annual SAGE: It's About Time: LGBT Aging in Changing World Conference. AARP The Magazine also has a very helpful web site on relationships where love, sexuality and intimacy from a positive, informed and holistic approach figure prominently. AARP has been conducting research on sexuality and aging for years, providing very important data about racial/sexual health disparities and average older adult's thoughts on just how important sexuality is within their lives.
There is still a great deal of room for improvement throughout the country on the front lines--the places where this work takes place daily. NSRC is proud to be part of this conference and looks forward with our national partners to increasing the number of sexuality resources, trainings, policies and skills professionals working with older adults need to do their jobs and feel safe and competent and informed. Sexually literate we like to say from NSRC.
I look forward to reporting from the conference next week. Some of the sessions I am especially thrilled to attend are 1) emergency/disaster preparedness disparity issues for older people of color (where sexuality resources and training are crucially important) and 2) a youth as elder advocates workshop focused on ways young people can be champions for the issues facing older adults (as a sexuality educator this is fascinating as both older and younger people in our society suffer severely from the adultism that deprives them of sexual health , rights, and citizenship) and 3) another sexuality focused workshop that will show a variety of cultural and societal perceptions of older adults and sexuality across cultures.
Here below are some resources that might prove helpful in understanding what exactly is at stake in including sexuality within the professional field of aging and diversity:
__________________________________
Kansas State University Center on Aging: PEAK (Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas Nursing Homes Education Initiative): www.ksu.edu/peak Sexual Expression Policy At The Home: The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, New York. http://www.hebrewhome.org/nursinghome.asp State of Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long Term Care—Ombudsman Program:http://longtermcare.state.wi.us/home/Ombudsman%20press%20release%202.pdf Prime: Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love and the Sensual Years. (2007) Pepper Schwartz. Get A Second Wind: Sex Advice, Education and Dialogue for Baby Boomers and Beyond: http://getasecondwind.com/ Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk about Sex After Sixty (2006, Joan Price): http://joanprice.com/BetterThanExpected.htm Older, Wiser, Sexually Smarter: 30 Sex Ed Lessons for Adults Only. (2009) Brick, Taverner, Lunquist, Sandak. http://www.ppgnnj.org/jforms/flyerOWSS.pdf American Psychological Association, Aging and Human Sexuality Resource Guide: http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/sexuality.html Sexuality Research and Social Policy: http://nsrc.sfsu.edu/sexuality_research_social_policy# (Dec 09 issue on aging/sexuality) Gay and Lesbian Aging: Research and Future Directions (2003) Herdt & de Vries Out and Aging: The MetLife Study of Lesbian and Gay Baby Boomers (2006): http://www.asaging.org/networks/LGAIN/OutandAging.pdf Outing Age: Public Policy Issues Affecting Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: Forthcoming): http://www.thetaskforce.org/
