LGBT seniors a growing, sometimes still secretive, population

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Although the exact number of LGBT seniors in Massachusetts is unclear, there is a need to welcome them into aging care programs, advocates say.

*4 to 8 percent of seniors identify as LGBT, and the percentage is expected to double by 2030.

*22 percent of LGBT seniors in long-term care facilities are open about their sexual orientation.

*80 percent of LGBT seniors in Massachusetts fear disclosing their sexual orientation to family members and healthcare providers.

Sources: The Aging Project; Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders and Movement Advancement Project

Boston Globe reporters Stephen Smith and Liz Kowalczyk discuss the issue of alarm fatigue in hospitals in this edition of Be Well, Boston.

Boston.com