Caregiving Fact Sheets for the LGBT Community

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- People in the LGBT community face unique considerations as they deal with aging, caregiving and incapacity. Two publications from Family Caregiver Alliance's National Center on Caregiving offer advice to address the concerns and examine legal approaches to negotiate some of the complex issues. The new Fact Sheet titles are:

• Legal Issues for LGBT Caregivers: This updated fact sheet includes specific information for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people as they deal with aging, caregiving and incapacity. Topics include: creating an estate plan, Durable Powers of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directives, qualifications for Medicare or Medi-Cal, and the use of other legal tools such as a Living Will.
• Special Concerns of LGBT Caregivers: This new fact sheet further discusses the unique considerations of caregivers in the LGBT community. Topics include: care for domestic partners, friends or spouses; redefinitions of family; information on finding supportive health and service providers; discrimination; and maintaining well-being.

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According to FCA Executive Director Kathleen Kelly, "Beginning with the HIV-AIDS epidemic, the LGBT community has had an active and visible role as caregivers. We're pleased to include these publications in our ongoing effort to offer assistance and to educate policy makers, the public, and caregiving families—whether traditional or nontraditional--about the complex issues in caregiving and long-term care."

Both the fact sheets are available FREE on the FCA website at www.caregiver.org, part of a library of more than 60 fact sheets on caregiving and long-term care issues.

Additional new fact sheet titles from FCA include: Selected Caregiver Statistics; Caregiving with Your Siblings; and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

Family Caregiver Alliance offers local and national programs to support and sustain the important work of families and friends caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions. A wealth of caregiving advice, resource listings, newsletters, fact sheets, research reports, policy updates, discussion groups and the Family Care Navigator are available free on our website. Visit www.caregiver.org or call (800) 445-8106 for more information.

SOURCE Family Caregiver Alliance