Same-sex couples: Are you and your staff prepared? Probably not (McKnight’s LTC News)

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:

Same-sex couples: Are you and your staff prepared? Probably not

Last week, McKnight’s staff writer Tim Mullaney wrote about the new Medicare guidance that guarantees that same-sex married couples can live in the same nursing home. Perhaps, like many of our current opposite-sex married couples, they’ll share the same room or apartment. Is your staff prepared to offer them the same respectful service they’re providing for your male/female couples? Are you prepared to lead the way, regardless of your personal beliefs regarding homosexuality? I’ll bet you’re not.

Why do I say this? Maybe your religion denounces homosexuality, yet you strive to be open (and have your facility open) to people from all walks of life. You might take a “live and let live” approach.  But even if you are openly gay yourself and comfortable with your sexuality, chances are excellent that there are people on your staff who feel very uncomfortable with homosexuality and will need additional training in order to be able to successfully assist gay couples.

I say this because I worked with a well-meaning aide who, despite knowing nothing about my background really, repeatedly thought she had to try to “save” me through conversion to her (anti-gay) religion. As a psychologist, I could read and deflect her good intentions, but I doubt a gay couple under her care would feel the same way.

For the entire article, visit:

Same-sex couples: Are you and your staff prepared? Probably not