Living Well Blog

Out and Aging is the name of the report issued by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, in partnership with the Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network of the American Society on Aging. A sample of 1,000 self-identified LGBT people ages 40 to 61 participated in an online survey conducted by Zogby International, a leading polling and public-opinion research firm.* The snapshot of LGBT baby boomers that emerges from the survey raises important questions for the wide range of professionals who work with older adults, employers, policymakers, and everyone interested in ensuring dignity, independence and the highest possible quality of life for the boomer generation as it reaches midlife and old age.

As they plan for retirement and for their eventual long-term care and end-of-life needs, LGBT baby boomers share in the hopes and experiences that characterize the largest generation in American history. At the same time, however, they reflect certain unique family structures and gender role differences— and they confront distinct concerns about caregiving, social support networks, retirement and end-of-life planning.

The findings in this study not only offer a snapshot of a population never before studied on a national scale, they also bring to the fore a number of practical implications for LGBT boomers, for their loved ones, for their employers, and for professionals and organizations working with them. Read the report with interest and pride!