One of the best ways to measure societal change is to look at trends over time.
In “Minnesota 2022 LGBTQ Aging Needs Assessment Report,” a group of researchers from the University of Minnesota and Rainbow Health surveyed a group of 354 LGBTQ adults over the age of 50 about their concerns and the perceptions of the state’s aging LGBTQ community. The 2022 survey follows two earlier surveys, each conducted a decade apart, in 2002 and 2012.
Rajean Moone, faculty director of the University of Minnesota’s Long-Term Care Administration, was part of a research team of 10 who conducted the study. He said that the report’s multi-decade breadth helps to illustrate how societal changes and community work impact the the concerns and perceptions of the state’s aging LGBTQ community. Many of the survey’s respondents, who were recruited from past participation or through a number of community organizations, indicated that significant changes — like laws supporting marriage equality and shifting perceptions about older LGBTQ adults — have had a positive impact on their mental health. Some state concern that recent anti-gay legislation may be reversing that trend.
Continue reading an interview with Rajean Moone in MinnPost.