A Growing Demographic
The backdrop for all this is California’s aging population. By 2030, nearly 10 million Californians will be 60 or older, and around 5% of these older adults will identify as LGBTQ+. On top of that, recent political trends have inspired large numbers of LGBTQ+ people, especially those who are transgender, to migrate to cities and states deemed progressive and safe.
To understand its changing demographics, California conducted the first statewide health and wellness survey of older LGBTQ+ adults and published its results in late 2024, calling the study “From Challenges to Resilience.”
The generations of LGBTQ+ people who are currently in their 60s and older lived when discrimination in marriage, military service, employment and other aspects of life was not only common, but perfectly legal. Over time, that discrimination led some community members to enter retirement with less money than non-LGBTQ+ people. They may not have traditional family caregivers, and they also have higher levels of isolation, which negatively affects overall health and wellbeing.
According to the most recent data from the advocacy nonprofit SAGE, social isolation is common and dangerous for older adults. LGBTQ+ elders are more likely to face it — they are five times less likely to be married, twice as likely to live alone and twice as likely to have no children.
Angie Perone is a researcher, social worker and licensed attorney who works with community organizations and LGBTQ+ older adults directly. She is the director of University of California Berkeley’s Center for the Advanced Study on Aging Services, which was part of the “From Challenges to Resilience” survey team.