The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus denounced Trump Administration’s erasure of LGBT elders from the annual National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP).
“The Trump Administration has decided to try and pretend LGBT older Americans just do not exist,” said LGBT Aging Issues Task Force Chair Rep. Ted Deutch (FL-22). “Removing LGBT people from this survey means the administration doesn’t care about the plight of LGBT elders, who face higher levels of poverty and typically have less familial support. Programs supporting LGBT elders are literally lifesaving, and LGBT people deserve to have their voices heard.”
The NSOAAP is conducted by the Administration on Community Living (ACL) to evaluate the effectiveness of Older Americans Act Title III programs. Survey results determine billions of dollars of funding for programs assisting older Americans including senior centers, home-delivered meals, family caregiver support, and transportation. Last week, ACL’s announcement of this year’s NSOAAP survey indicated it will no longer be collecting specific information on LGBT participants. LGBT older Americans face higher levels of economic insecurity, social isolation, and discrimination including having particular difficulty accessing critical aging services and supports.
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