This qualitative study describes expectations, concerns, and needs regarding long-term care (LTC) homes and home care services of 12 older lesbian and gay couples living in Canada. Our findings reflect four major themes: discrimination, identity, expenditure of energy, and nuanced care. Discrimination involved concerns about covert discrimination; loss of social buffers as one ages; and diminished ability to advocate for oneself and one's partner. Identity involved anticipated risk over disclosing one's sexual identity; the importance of being identified within a coupled relationship; and the importance of access to reference groups of other gay seniors. We conclude that partners were burdened by the emotional effort expended to hide parts of their identity, assess their environments for discrimination, and to placate others. Nuanced care involved a mutual level of comfort experienced by participants and their health care providers. These themes inform understandings of LTC homes and home care services for lesbian and gay older couples.

This qualitative study focuses on 22 grandparents who were raising their grandchildren and involved with child welfare agencies. We explored the tensions experienced by these grandparents, ways that child welfare agencies alleviate these tensions, and factors preventing grandparents from utilizing services. Tensions were grouped into 4 categories: feeling responsible for grandchildren; having limited financial resources; feelings toward the middle generation; and relationship with the child welfare agency. Grandparents received various types of support from child welfare agencies including help with child management, financial assistance, and emotional support. Factors discouraging utilization of services included the social worker's age, lack of trust, and agency policy. Our findings suggest that child welfare agencies need to examine their use of power and look at grandparents more as "consumers" than "clients," in order to fully engage them in the helping process.

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