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The Older Americans Act, first signed into law in 1965, codified the recognition that government has an obligation to respond to the needs of older adults and to create programs that maintain basic living standards and prevent older adults from suffering in isolation and without support. The law enables significant investments in states and tribal nations across the country, values flexibility in developing approaches to service provisions that reflect local needs, and funds a nationwide network to coordinate and strengthen program implementation. The programs and services funded under the act-from meal programs to in-home services to caregiver support-combine to ensure the health of older adults. At the same time, data from the accompanying National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants make visible the unique needs of this population and enable program refinement and effective targeting of resources.
ERASING SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITY OLDER ADULTS
In March 2017, quietly and without explanation, the Administration for Community Living, a component of the US Department of Health and Human Services, proposed eliminating from the survey a question on sexual orientation that had been in use since 2014.1 Modeled after a question successfully used in the National Health Interview Survey, the item allowed for the identification of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) program participants. The proposal to remove this question is troubling in light of the evidence of disparities in health and social supports experienced by LGBT older adults relative to their peers,2 and it is particularly troubling given the Administration on Aging's own recognition of the negative impact that interpersonal and institutional stigmas have on this population (bit.ly/ 2rmd3lv).
Data from the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants provide information on which recipients have access to home-delivered meals, transportation, case management, and other services and are critical to evaluating program reach and effectiveness. Although analyses of the characteristics of program participants have been conducted on the basis of demographic characteristics such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity,3 no data on LGBT older adults have been released. If the proposal to eliminate this question is approved, researchers both inside and outside the government will be unable to assess the degree to...