Being an Advocate
Download this information sheet as a PDF.
Are you a personal advocate for an LGBTI older person? Or want to ensure that an aged care service is LGBTI-friendly?
Being an advocate is a privilege and a serious responsibility. One way to make sure you are providing the best support possible is to understand the rights of the older LGBTI person, and the responsibilities of the aged care provider.
Rights
The first place to start is with the Statement of Rights. The Statement lists the rights that apply to everyone who uses aged care services, no matter what type of care. For more details on aged care rights, see the "Know Your Rights" information sheet.
ACTION: Ask the service how it fulfils the obligations stated in the Statement of Rights, particularly in relation to LGBTI residents, and LGBTI family and friends.
Removing barriers
The Aged Care Diversity Framework aims to make sure our aged care system is accessible to all older Australians. It recognises that to support our diverse population, aged care needs to be respectful and inclusive of all people — no matter their background, life experience or care needs. There is a particular Action Plan focused on removing barriers for LGBTI people.
The framework outlines:
- the common reasons why some people cannot access the aged care they need
- how we can remove these barriers.
ACTION: Ask if staff are aware of the Aged Care Diversity Framework, and suggest that it be provided to all staff, and introduced at a staff training session.
Training
There is specific training available for aged care services to ensure they are providing the best possible service and support to older LGBTI people.
ACTION: You may want to recommend that the staff attend Silver Rainbow training, which is designed to support aged care staff with information and resources so that they can create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all LGBTI older people. Silver Rainbow also offers free, self-guided online training modules, the 'Ageing Fabulously' podcast and a series of fact sheets that enable staff to learn at their own pace.
ACTION: Aged care organisations may decide that they want to officially welcome LGBTI people to their service by achieving LGBTI specialisation in the My Aged Care system. As a government accreditation, this requires aged care service providers to meet certain minimum standards in order to claim that they are LGBTI specialised. For more information on this, read our "LGBTI Specialisation" information sheet.
The culture of the service
The overall culture and tone of the aged care service or facility is very important in ensuring that older LGBTI people feel safe and valued. One area where significant improvement can be made is in the paperwork, such as entry or enrolment forms. In addition, the range and kind of activities and celebrations can also have a significant impact on how welcome older LGBTI people feel. For example, displaying LGBTI-friendly symbols, such as a rainbow flag or posters, might help show that the service acknowledges LGBTI people and culture.
ACTION: Take a look at their forms to see where improvements can be made. Do they ask people for their pronouns? How do they record the significant people in an older person’s life?
ACTION: Are there visual signs that LGBTI people are welcome? Do they celebrate any LGBTI events? How do they support partners and chosen family? Provide the service with information about how to be welcoming.
Formal advocates
The Australian Government offers free, independent, and confidential support through the National Aged Care Advocacy Program (NACAP). The program is delivered by the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), which has locations in every state and territory. You can learn more about this service either on 1800 700 600 or at the OPAN website.
Taking care of yourself
Helping a loved one through the process of engaging aged care services can be difficult and emotional, and can leave you feeling stressed and tired. Many advocates and carers find it helps to maintain their own social contacts and activities. The National Carer Gateway offers counselling sessions and peer support through online discussions and groups. You can learn more about this service either on 1800 422 737 or at the National Carer Gateway website.
More information
- Statement of Rights
- Silver Rainbow Training
- Pride in Health & wellbeing. LGBTI Specialisation Verification – Aged Care
- Older People’s Advocacy Network (OPAN) self-advocacy toolkit
- Silver Rainbow presents: Ageing Fabulously podcast
- Commonwealth Department of Health guide for aged care providers
- The Aged Care Diversity Framework
- National Seniors Report
- OPAN advocacy service - or by phone on 1800 353 374
- National Carer Gateway - or by phone on 1800 422 737
