Seniors in the LGBT community face challenges as they move to long term care facilities
TORONTO, Ontario June 12, 2014 /Canada NewsWire/ - As we approach World Pride, there's a renewed focus on many of the issues that are of pressing importance to the LGBT community. One issue that is rarely addressed, however, is the subject of elderly and aging LGBT individuals who require the services of a long term care facility. LGBT seniors who require nursing home care worry about negative or diminished treatment if their sexual identities become known. Many of these seniors, who have remained closeted, have to now worry about being "found out," or about making the decision to come out and dealing with potential backlash from caregivers, family and friends, after many years of hiding their sexual identity. The Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) will open up a discussion on the importance of creating a culture of caring for LGBT seniors in a panel event and workshop on Monday, June 16, 2014.
The session will include discussion on some of the pressing issues, particularly as they relate to seniors in the community. Participating in this panel event will be the following:
- A social worker from True Davidson Acres who will discuss how the facility has made itself welcoming to the aging LGBT community
- A Care Coordinator with a case study which highlights some of the challenges she faced in providing care to a transgendered client, and the strategies and steps she employed to overcome them
- An LGBT caregiver and client
- Care Coordinators and clients will be in attendance to discuss and share their perspectives on how comfortable (or uncomfortable) they feel regarding care of this demographic
About Toronto Central CCAC:
Toronto Central CCAC connects people across Toronto with quality in-home and community-based health care. We provide information, direct access to qualified care providers and community-based services to help people come home from hospital or live independently at home. In any given month we serve a population of nearly 1.5 million residents of the Toronto area with their care needs in the community. In any given month, we support:
- More than 19,000 people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds
- 1,700 kids getting support at their schools
- 23,000 information and referral inquiries
- The transition to a long-term care home for 240 clients
- 600 individuals to die at home with dignity
- Saving 1000s of hospital days by transitioning 7,000 clients home for care
- 400 adults receiving rehabilitation services
- For more information, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAtKFBXeTMQ&feature=youtu.be
