title: Planning for future care needs: experiences of unmarried heterosexual and sexual minority women.
abstract: This study examined the experiences of legally unmarried, middle-aged and older sexual minority (e.g., lesbian, bisexual) and heterosexual women in planning for future care needs and long-term assistance. A total of 215 women (90 sexual minority women and 125 heterosexual women) 41-78 years of age completed a survey about long-term care planning strategies, including: (1) executing a will; (2) naming a health care proxy; (3) purchasing long-term care insurance; and (4) discussing potential living arrangements with at least one family member. Overall, 18.5% of women reported completing zero of the strategies, and 3.4% reported completing all four. Over half (59%) had completed at least two strategies. Women were most likely to have executed a will (68%) and named a health care proxy (61%). Both sexual minority women and heterosexual women were most likely to have talked to a family member of choice, rather than a biological family member about living with them if they were unable to care for themselves. Currently, serving as a health care proxy was an important correlate for having made long-term care plans and was particularly important for sexual minority women. Women who are not in traditional marriage relationships tend to adopt long-term care planning strategies that legally clarify and establish the nature of their important relationships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Brown University, Warren Alpert School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA. melissa_clark@brown.edu
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Boehmer
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Mairead
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032722:Advance Care Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D016224:Living Wills / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019727:Proxy; D019529:Sexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012847:Single Person; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health