These resources provide information and support to help aged care professionals deliver dementia care to LGBTI older people that is inclusive, respectful, and affirming.
Factsheet: LGBT People and Dementia
This factsheet is designed for aged care workers caring for LGBT people living with dementia. It highlights the unique challenges faced by those whose memory loss may affect their ability to maintain privacy or identity, and outlines strategies to ensure dignity, respect and inclusion in care practices.
Booklet: LGBTI and Dementia – Understanding Changes in Behaviour
Understanding why a person with dementia is experiencing changes in behaviour is critical to developing effective person-centred care. When caring for an LGBTI person with dementia, the right background and knowledge can be lacking.
To better support LGBTI people with dementia in their care, Dementia Support Australia have created a range of resources, including a booklet entitled LGBTI and Dementia: Understanding changes in behaviour. This booklet was co-designed in partnership with LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA).
Webinars: Older LGBTI people with dementia – understanding changes in behaviour
This webinar series is tailored for aged care providers, focusing on case study discussions, offering practical tools and insights to enhance support for LGBTI clients.
Attending these sessions will help you build skills and knowledge to facilitate respectful and culturally sensitive communication with LGBTI older individuals.
Utilise DSA resources to support LGBTI clients, their families, and carers. Explore effective strategies for supporting LGBTI individuals with dementia.
Resource: Visiting someone with dementia
The Silver Rainbow program has assisted with the creation of these resources which provide guidance and activities to support connection with an LGBT+ person living with dementia overtime.
Their development was led by Dr. Louisa Smith at Deakin University and co-designed with six people who had visited LGBT+ people living with dementia.
There are eight resources in this series.
LGBTI and dementia scoping review
LHA in partnership with Dementia Support Australia commissioned the Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, to complete a scoping review of the needs, service access and current practices to support LGBT+ older adults living with cognitive impairment and dementia.
There is currently limited evidence about best-practice in supporting LGBT+ older people living with dementia or cognitive impairment. The review includes 30 peer-reviewed papers from academic literature and 15 grey literature publications community-based organisations. The review provides examples of actions providers can take to improve accessibility and approachability of their services. The review will be used to inform development of training resources and research being undertaken by LHA, Dementia Support Australia and Deakin University.