The health care needs of older gay men and lesbians are not unique to this population, but the psychosocial impact and legal issues related to declining health are very different for lesbian and gay elders when compared to their heterosexual peers. This article explores the unique issues of older gay men and lesbians, and discuesses how social workers and other health care professionals can help protect the integrity of homosexual couples facing declining health and death. Health care providers must be sensitive to societal and familial homophobia which gay and lesbian couples encounter, and be proactive in helping those couples develop the legal protection needed to insure self-determination and the integrity of their relationships.
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Lora Connolly (1996) studied this question.