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Meeting the needs of LGBT men and women using our residential services

This session aims to provide participants with an understanding of current issues faced by older LGBT individuals in accessing residential care, awareness of the legislation around equality and diversity, and strategies to ensure a safe and accepting environment. The session includes a video clip, presentation, activities, and a commitment to change.

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Meeting the needs of LGBT men and women using our residential services

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  1. Meeting the needs of LGBT men and women using our residential services Yolaine Jacquelin KCC Adult Social Care Policy and Standards Officer

  2. Aims of the session • For participants to have a good understanding of current issues facing older LGBT people as they access residential care • For participants to have an awareness of where these issues come from • For participants to have an awareness of the legislation around equality and diversity • For participants to understand their duty to challenge homophobia/ transphobia • For participants to think of creative ideas to ensure LGBT people feel safe and accepted in their establishments

  3. Programme • Questions/ queries around this topic • Rogers story – a video clip • PPT presentation and activities • Commitment to change : What? Who? When? How? Why? Where? • Summary and feedback

  4. Roger’s story

  5. What do we know about older LGBT men and women? • 41% live alone compared to 28% of heterosexual older people • LGB older people are less likely to have children and less likely to see biological family members on a regular basis • 45% drink alcohol at least 3 or 4 days a week compared to 31% of heterosexuals • Gay and bisexual older men are x3 more likely to be single than heterosexual men • Lesbians and bisexual women are more likely than heterosexual women to have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression • 50% are uncomfortable about being out to care home staff

  6. Exercise 1: How do you think these facts affect the LGBT men and women entering your establishment ?

  7. Issues facing older LGBT men and women entering care • Need to feel safe and secure (psychological security) • Need for explicit messages that they will be accepted • Need for staff to understand that their sexual orientation forms a big part of their identity • Concerns about assumptions/ prejudices from both staff and other residents and their network • Concerns about having to go back into “the closet”

  8. Exercise 2: What do you know or guess about growing up LGBT in the 40s and 50s?

  9. Some useful facts about growing up LGBT in the 40s and 50s… (1) • Homosexuality was illegal until 1967 so… some of your residents may have started life as “criminals” . • Police activity against gay men was rife throughout the 1950s. • In the 1950s, homosexuality was officially classified as a disease and was thus considered to have a cure. • Lesbianism not illegal but subject to disapproval and when talked about, it was only done in disparaging terms .. • People met in “secret” bars, nothing was out in the open

  10. Some useful facts about growing up LGBT in the 40s and 50s… (2) • In the 40s, 50s and 60s, LGBT people had no legal protection so could: • Lose their jobs for being gay • Lose custody of their children in divorce courts • Be refused services/tenancy/IVF treatment… • Term transgender not in use in the 50s but Roberta Cowell is the first known British trans woman to undergo reassignment surgery and have her birth certificate changed.

  11. Gay, Old and Out

  12. What the law says • Human Rights Act 1998 • Gender recognition act 2004 • The Equality Act 2010 – bans all discrimination under sexual orientation • Protection of Freedom Acts 2012 • Civil partnership Act 2014 • Same sex marriage legal in England, Wales and Scotland since 2014 • Same sex marriage legal in the Republic of Ireland since 2015

  13. How do we identify LGBT people in our service? • You can’t just “spot” an LGBT person despite all the many stereotypes around • Ageist assumptions mean anyone with grey hair has no sexuality at all • Do you ask about sexual orientation as part of your assessment? • Your responsibility is to create an environment where people feel safe to “be themselves”

  14. Challenging prejudice (1) • Everyone needs to take responsibility when hurtful or derogatory comments are made • Service users and visitors have an equal responsibility to treat others with respect, regardless of age • Use a team approach : good impact on gay colleagues too • Think about different ways to intervene from a clear reminder of the rules to inviting people to think about their attitudes

  15. Challenging prejudice (2) • Sometimes a clear authoritative stance is needed: • “it is not acceptable to make hurtful comments about people in this organisation “ or • “whatever your personal opinions, we will not tolerate prejudiced language while using our service” • Sometimes you can ask the person to think more about what they have said : • What makes you believe that to be true? • Is there something about gay people that makes you feel upset or angry?

  16. Exercise 3: What can we do in our units to make older LGBT people feel safe and welcome?

  17. Top tips for care and support workers • Start by looking at your own attitudes • Don’t assume that the people you care for are heterosexual • Ask people open questions about their life and who is important to them • In everyday conversation, talk about gay people or issues in a non-judgemental way • Don’t force people to talk about their sexual orientation if they don’t want to • Ask older people you care for how you can help, for example, by putting them in touch with a local gay group

  18. Top tips for home managers (1) • Remember you set the caring tone of the home so lead by example with confidence and clarity even in the face of resistance • Set a standard as a service that you will not let negative comments or attitudes go unchallenged • Display clear policies which set out how you handle discrimination and anti-gay bullying • Train staff on the law and LGBT rights • Encourage staff to use open language rather than assume people are heterosexual

  19. Top tips for home managers (2) • Include LGBT people in your promotional literature and information packs • Include LGBT events and social occasions (LGBT History Month is February, Pride month is June) • Make same sex partners feel welcome by supporting private time for couples and the sharing of rooms • Make sure residents know how to complain • What else can you do?

  20. Resources • AGE UK Website (type in LGBT) • SCIE website (type in LGBT) STONEWALL website (leading organisation working for rights of LGBT population) • Read the LGBT toolkit (on KNET Policy page) • Read the KCC Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Support Toolkit (on Knet Policy page) • Ask Rainbow- the KCC staff group: rainbow@kent.gov.uk • https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights/human-rights-act

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