“The Wisdom of Age”: Perspectives on Aging and Growth among Lesbian Older Adults

Abstract

Older lesbian-identified women are a health disparate yet resilient population about whom knowledge is limited and emerging. Among the areas in need of research are older lesbians' experiences of later life and stress-related growth. This article presents the findings from a qualitative study that investigated older lesbians' experiences of adversity and adaptation as they age. In-depth, exploratory interviews were conducted with 12 lesbian-identified women who were between the ages of 65-80. This study applied grounded theory methodology to identify respondents sources of stress and fear, their strengths and coping strategies and how those relate to each other and to their growth in later life. We advance a model of adaptive change that shows how spirituality, social support, and resistance to cultural norms help older lesbian adults cope with loss, illness, and discrimination and develop wisdom in later life. Knowledgeable practitioners can help older lesbian women identify and maintain sources of social support, explore spirituality, and facilitate continuous growth through the end of life. Social workers can advocate for services that are welcoming and affirmative so as to reduce fears of isolation and dependence associated with health decline.

Coping strategies used by LGB older adults in facing and anticipating health challenges: A narrative analysis

“…Additionally, respondents described a number of coping resources used as prevention or intervention approaches to acute and chronic health challenges and aging-related concerns, including engagement in regular exercise, volunteering in the community, developing a spiritual sense of self, and seeking information from legal representatives, medical personnel, and LGBTQ community groups. These results have some patterns in common with the study by Putney et al (2016) among older lesbians, despite differences in the gender and racial make-up of participants. Our study similarly identified spirituality as important for meaning-making and comfort in the face of health issues, as well as an acceptance of one’s mortality (which was treated by Putney et al as an example of development growth in late life, rather than a coping strategy).…”

“…The narratives related to coping with health challenges did not as clearly emphasize the role of social support, building connections with other LGB people, resisting cultural norms, or dealing with feelings about one’s sexual orientation, which previous research has suggested may be important (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al, 2015; Putney et al, 2016; Van Wagenen et al, 2013). While there were certainly some narrative threads around these topics among a few participants, including the importance of spiritually coming to terms with sexual orientation (Tony) and some examples of resisting heterosexist, racist and ageist norms, these topics were not strong narratives across the sample in connection to coping with health problems.…”

“…One study that examined successful aging among older sexual minority adults highlighted the importance of health promotion behaviors, a positive sense of sexual identity, and social support in relationship to physical and mental health, regardless of one’s age cohort (Fredriksen-Goldsen, Kim, Shiu, Goldsen, & Emlet, 2015). Recent work by Putney, Leafmeeker, and Hebert (2016) proposes a model of adaptive growth among older lesbians, based on interviews with 12 (primarily white) women, half of whom had past or current notable health issues. Their work identified the use of social support, spirituality, and resistance to cultural norms as methods of coping.…”

Social networks of LGBT older adults: An integrative review.

“…Normalization of LGBT culture may benefit younger men who are less incentivized to seek mentorship and social contact with older gay men. Putney et al, 2016 Emotional: Narratives from interview transcripts reflected a growing sense of belonging later in life.…”

Mining for Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) in Sexual Minority Women Who Survive Intimate Partner Violence: A Conceptual Perspective

“…Models of resilience include conceptual frameworks such as stress-related growth (SRG) and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Bonet, Wells and Parsons [ 60 ] explored SRG as an aspect of the coming out process for lesbian and bisexual women, Putney, Leefmeaker and Herbert [ 61 ] have looked at aging lesbians, SRG and social support, while Golub, Walker et al [ 62 ] explored SRG, social support and HIV risk for transgender women and Calabrese et al [ 63 ] looked at SRG for SMW in terms of minority stress. Although stress-related growth touches on some of the same factors of personal improvement following stress, there are critical epistemological differences in that SRG encompasses developmental life stressors and everyday stressors, whereas PTG focuses on a traumatic event in which someone’s assumptive world is challenged and shattered [ 53 , 64 ].…”