Advanced Topics in Interpersonal Practice

With our increasing life span comes an increase in the number of older adults. This includes an increase in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) persons. However, older adults, who also identify as LGBTQ, are even less recognized and more vulnerable than their heterosexual counterparts, if not “invisible”. This mini-course will invite participants to review their own level of cultural competence and humility by assessing their personal and professional knowledge and biases about both older adults and individuals who identify as LGBTQ. It will also provide an introductory review of LGBTQ terminology, with special attention being paid to LGBTQ people of color communities. We will also review what it means to be a LGBTQ older adult living both the "gay" experience, as well as the aging experience in comparison to our older heterosexual and younger LGBTQ counterparts. Additionally, we will review state and federal policies, including the heterosexism and ageism, which affects the daily lives of LGBTQ older adults. Finally, techniques and strategies for being an effective social worker with LGBTQ older adults will be provided with special attention being paid to Gay Affirmative Therapy Techniques as well as what the NASW Code of Ethics and the Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice says (and does not say) about serving this "invisible" population.