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

Abstract

© 2015 ACOTA. 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.