This article advocates incorporating biographical narratives into social work practice involving older lesbian, gay and bisexual service users. Offering a critique of ‘sexuality-blind’ conditions in current policy and practice, the discussion draws on qualitative data to illustrate the potential benefits of narrative approaches for both practitioners and service users.
Archibald, C. ( 2006) ‘Gay and Lesbian Issues: Learning on the (Research) Job’, Journal of Dementia Care14(4): 21.
2.
Bayliss, K. ( 2000) ‘Social Work Values, Anti-discriminatory Practice and Working with Older Lesbian Service Users’, Social Work Education19(1): 45-53.
3.
Commission for Social Care Inspection (2008 ) Putting People First: Equality and Diversity Matters 3: Achieving Disability Equality in Social Care Services. London: Commission for Social Care Inspection.
4.
Coon, D.W. ( 2003) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Issues and Family Caregiving. San Francisco: Family Caregiver Alliance, National Center on Caregiving.
5.
Cronin, A. ( 2004) ‘Sexuality in Gerontology: A Heteronormative Presence, A Queer Absence’, in S.O. Daatland and S. Biggs (eds) Ageing and Diversity: Multiple Pathways and Cultural Migrations. Bristol: Policy Press.
6.
Cronin, A. and A. King ( 2010) ‘A Queer Kind of Care: Some Preliminary Notes and Observations’, in R. Jones and R. Ward (eds) LGBT Issues: Looking Beyond Categories. Edinburgh: Dunedin.
7.
Department of Health (1998) Modernising Social Services Promoting Independence, Improving Protection, Raising Standards. London: Stationery Office.
8.
Department of Health (2006) Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A New Direction for Community Services, Cm 6737. London: Stationery Office .
9.
Dorfman, R., K. Walters, P. Burke, L. Hardin, T. Karanik and J. Raphael ( 1995) ‘Old, Sad and Alone: The Myth of the Aging Homosexual’ , Journal of Gerontological Social Work24(1/2): 29-44.
10.
Eaglesham, P. ( 2010) ‘The Policy Maze and LGBT Issues: Does One Size Fit All?’ in R. Jones and R. Ward (eds) LGBT Issues: Looking Beyond Categories. Edinburgh: Dunedin.
11.
Fannin, A., L.A. Fenge, T. Hicks, N. Lavin and K. Brown ( 2008) Social Work Practice for Older Lesbians and Gay Men. Exeter: Learning Matters.
12.
Gubrium, J.F. ( 2005) ‘The Social Worlds of Old Age’, in M. Johnson (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
13.
HM Government (2007) Putting People First: A Shared Vision and Commitment to the Transformation of Adult Social Care. London: Stationery Office.
14.
Hicks, S. ( 2008) ‘Thinking Through Sexuality’, Journal of Social Work8(1): 65-82.
15.
Hunt, R. and S. Dick ( 2008) Serves You Right: Lesbian and Gay People’s Expectations of Discrimination. London: Stonewall .
16.
Jones, R.L. ( 2010) ‘Troubles with Bisexuality in Health and Social Care’, in R. Ward and R. Jones (eds) LGBT Issues: Looking Beyond Categories, pp. 42-55. Edinburgh: Dunedin .
17.
Keady J. and S. Williams ( 2007) ‘Co-constructed Inquiry: A New Approach to Generating, Disseminating and Discovering Knowledge in Qualitative Research’, Quality in Ageing8(2): 27-36.
18.
King, A. and A. Cronin ( 2010) ‘Queer Methods and Queer Practices: Re-examining the Identities of Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual (OLGB) Adults’, in K. Browne and C. Nash (eds) Queer Methodologies in Social and Cultural Research . Aldershot: Ashgate.
19.
Kurdek, L. ( 2005) ‘What Do We Know about Lesbian and Gay Couples’ , Current Directions in Psychological Science14(5): 251-4.
20.
Larsson, S. and Y. Sjoblom ( 2010) ‘Perspectives on Narrative Methods in Social Work Research’, International Journal of Social Welfare19(3): 272-80.
21.
Mackenzie, J. ( 2009) ‘The Same but Different: Working with Lesbian and Gay People with Dementia’, Journal of Dementia Care17(6): 17-19.
22.
Manthorpe, J. ( 2003) ‘Nearest and Dearest? The Neglect of Lesbians in Caring Relationships’, British Journal of Social Work33: 753-68.
23.
Manthorpe, J. and E. Price ( 2005) ‘Lesbian Carers: Personal Issues and Policy Responses’ , Social Policy and Society5(1): 15-26.
24.
MetLife (2006) Out and Aging: The MetLife Study of Lesbian and Gay Baby Boomers. Westport, CT: MetLife Mature Market Institute. Available from http://www.asaging.org/networks/lgain/OutandAging.pdf (accessed 04/02/08).
25.
Meyer, I.H. ( 2001) ‘Why Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Public Health?’, American Journal of Public Health91(6): 856-9.
26.
Northmore, S., S. Ball and A. Smith ( 2005) ‘Multiple Identities in Older Age: A Re-examination’ , Paper presented at the 2005 National Council for Voluntary Organisation’s 11th Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference , University of Warwick, 31 Aug-1 Sept 2005.
27.
Parvaneh, R., N. Moran and C. Glendinning (2009) ‘Individual Budgets : Lessons from Early Users’ Experiences’ , British Journal of Social Work39: 918-35.
28.
Plummer, K. ( 1995) Telling Sexual Stories. London: Routledge.
29.
Price, E. ( 2008) ‘Pride or Prejudice? Gay Men, Lesbians and Dementia’ , British Journal of Social Work38: 1337-52.
30.
Pugh, S. ( 2005) ‘Assessing the Cultural Needs of Older Lesbians and Gay Men: Implications for Practice’, Practice17(3): 207-18.
31.
Quam, J.K., ed. (1997) Social Services for Senior Gay Men and Lesbians. New York: Haworth Press.
Riessman, C.K. and L. Quinney ( 2005) ‘Narrative in Social Work: A Critical Review’ , Qualitative Social Work4: 391-412.
34.
Ward, R. ( 2000) ‘Waiting to be Heard: Dementia and the Gay Community’ , Journal of Dementia Care8(3): 24-5.
35.
Ward, R. and R. Jones , eds. (2010) LGBT Issues: Looking Beyond Categories . Edinburgh: Dunedin.
36.
Ward, R., A.A. Vass, N. Aggarwal, C. Garfield and B. Cybyk ( 2005) ‘A Kiss is Still a Kiss? The Construction of Sexuality in Dementia Care’, Dementia4(1): 49-72.
37.
Weeks, J. ( 2000) Making Sexual History. Cambridge: Polity Press.
38.
Weeks, J., B. Heaphy and C. Donovan ( 2001) Same Sex Intimacies: Families of Choice and Other Life Experiments. London: Routledge.