Abstract

Only recently the psychological literature started paying more attention to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) elders, partly because of the methodological challenges that characterise the study of this population. This paper aims to research in depth the relational life of older LGBT adults and its impact on several fundamental processes such as coming-out and isolation, which in turn influence psychological well-being and physical health. When it comes to LGBT elderly, one of the main risk factors concerns the invisibility and marginalization in dealing with social and health care. On the other hand, the presence of a social support and care network is an important protective factor.