Understanding the experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans Australians living with dementia, and their partners

Australas J Ageing. 2015 Oct:34 Suppl 2:34-8. doi: 10.1111/ajag.12271.

Abstract

Aim: To outline the experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) Australians living with dementia - and their partners.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with LGBT people, their partners and service providers.

Results: LGBT people living with dementia experience unique challenges including the failure of some families of origin and service providers to understand and value their sexual orientation or gender identity. The fear of discrimination by service providers results in greater reliance on intimate partners for care and compounds social isolation.

Conclusions: The unique experiences of LGBT people with dementia are not well understood. There is a need to recognise historical experiences, including familial relationships, and provide advocacy to ensure sexual and gender rights are not violated. There is also a need to ensure that the experiences and perspectives of LGBT people living with dementia inform the development of services.

Keywords: dementia; discrimination; family conflict; gay; lesbian; trans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Age Factors
  • Aging / ethnology
  • Aging / psychology*
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Australia
  • Bisexuality / ethnology
  • Bisexuality / psychology*
  • Cost of Illness
  • Dementia / diagnosis
  • Dementia / ethnology
  • Dementia / psychology*
  • Female
  • Health Services Needs and Demand / organization & administration*
  • Health Services for Transgender Persons / organization & administration*
  • Health Services for the Aged / organization & administration*
  • Healthcare Disparities
  • Homophobia / psychology
  • Homosexuality, Female / ethnology
  • Homosexuality, Female / psychology*
  • Homosexuality, Male / ethnology
  • Homosexuality, Male / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander / psychology
  • Needs Assessment / organization & administration
  • Self Disclosure
  • Social Isolation
  • Spouses / ethnology
  • Spouses / psychology*
  • Transgender Persons / psychology*
  • Transsexualism / ethnology
  • Transsexualism / psychology*