This document discusses social support and its importance for the healthy aging of gay men who are baby boomers and generation X. It notes that social support can reduce stress, improve psychological well-being and slow disease progression for those living with HIV. Strong social support is also linked to better cognitive functioning, lower risk of health issues like strokes and cancers, and higher survival rates. However, aging gay men may face challenges maintaining social support networks as they age. The document calls for further research and strategies to promote successful aging for this demographic through strengthening social support and meeting their evolving needs.

1. Robert Ablenas, PhD
with support from: Health Initiative for Men,
Interior Health Authority, Providence Health Care, and CIHR

2. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Seniors in Canada
 2006-2011, all age groups with a growth rate > 20%
were age > 60
Statistics Canada, 2012

3. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Social Support
 social support: the reciprocal giving, receiving, and
exchange to fulfill the needs of the support recipient
Antonucci, 1985

4. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Social Support
 social support: the reciprocal giving, receiving, and
exchange to fulfill the needs of the support recipient
 social support networks: the conduits through which the
transfer and exchange of social support take place
Ikeda & Kawachi, 2010

5. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Social Support and Health
 reduced stress
Hirdes & Forbes, 1992
House, Robbins, & Metzner, 1982
Kaplan, Wilson, Cohen, et al., 1994
Kawachi et al., 1996
Seeman, 1996

6. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Social Support and Health
 reduced stress
 among individuals living with HIV:
a)
improved psychological well-being
b)
slower disease progression
Robinson, Petty, Patton, & Kang, 2008
Mavandadi et al., 2009
Leserman et al., 1999

7. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Social Support and Health
 more effective maintenance of cognitive function and
prevention of the onset of dementia
Crooks et al., 2008
Fratiglioni et al., 2000

8. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Social Support and Health
 more effective maintenance of cognitive function and
prevention of the onset of dementia
 lower incidence of stroke and fatal coronary heart disease
Eng et al., 2002
Kawachi et al., 1996

9. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Social Support and Health
 more effective maintenance of cognitive function and
prevention of the onset of dementia
 lower incidence of stroke and fatal coronary heart disease
 higher survival rate from prostate and colorectal cancers
Reynolds & Kaplan, 1990
Vogt et al., 1992

10. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
60+ Gay Men
 2003 and 2005, 31.5% of adult gay men were age 45-59
Tjepkema, 2008

11. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
60+ Gay Men
 2003 and 2005, 31.5% of adult gay men were age 45-59
 2013 and 2015 …
 Baby Boomers → 1947 to 1966
 Gen X → 1967 to 1979
Tjepkema, 2008
(Doug Owsram, David Foot)

12. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
60+ Gay Men
 quality life
 mental, physical, sexual, social health
 self-determination and independence
 community capacity building

13. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Strikes Against 60+ Gay Men
 Men:
a)
straight
b)
gay
Aguinaldo, 2008

14. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Strikes Against 60+ Gay Men
 Baby Boomer and Gen X:
a)
life course: “mortality and bereavement, the search for
meaning and wholeness in life in the context of a
heterosexist society, occupation- and family-related
stress, fear of physical illness, and internalized ageism as
a result of the emphasis on physical attractiveness and
youth in the gay male community.”
Reisner et al., 2011
Addis et al., 2009
McDonald, 2011

15. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Strikes Against 60+ Gay Men
 Baby Boomer and Gen X:
a)
life course
b)
the staying power of the past

16. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
60+ Gay Men and Social Support
 senior straight men v. senior gay men
Heaphy, 2009
Masini & Barrett, 2008
Yakushko, 2005

17. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
60+ Gay Men and Social Support
 senior straight men v. senior gay men
 younger gay men v. senior gay men
Blank, Asencio, Descartes, & Briggs, 2009
David & Knight, 2011

18. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
What to Do?

19. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Needs of 60+ Gay Men
 Self-transcendence
 Self-actualization
 Esteem
 Belongingness and love
 Safety
 Physiological (survival)
Koltko-Rivera, 2006

20. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Measures
 The Event-Related Measurement Instrument

21. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Measures
 Life Course Events and Circumstances
People:
1.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
un-partnered
partnered
from a straight marriage
coming out
friendships
Death, Loss, Losing / Birth, Gain, Gaining:
2.
a)
b)
aging relationship
palliative caregiving / recuperative caregiving

22. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Measures
 Life Course Events and Circumstances (continued)
3.
Change in Personal Habits
4.
Health:
a)
b)
c)
d)
proactive
prevention
maintenance
reactive
Financial:
5.
a)
b)
c)
limited income
no saving
divorce settlement

23. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Measures
 Life Course Events and Circumstances (continued)
6.
Living Circumstances
7.
Injustice
8.
Homonegativity
9.
Stigma:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
gay
senior
living with HIV
trans-gendered
single

24. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Measures
 Life Course Events and Circumstances (continued)
10. Quality of Life
11. Work-related
12. Community-related
13. Intimacy
14. Cultural:
a)
b)
urban
rural

25. Toward Successful Aging of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men
Initial Observations

26. Toward Successful Aging
of Baby Boomer and Gen X Gay Men