then defining safe boundaries and also raising the importance of education for our staff, and talking to everybody about what legislation the government has put forward, and promoting human rights for everybody.
What should nurses in aged care facilities do to understand sexual inclusiveness? The first thing is to explore it for yourself, because it does have a different meaning for all of us.
The second thing is, when you’ re working within facilities or even the helpat-home environment, develop the policy, but it’ s important for our clients to feel safe, to be supported and be treated as an individual with regards to inclusivity from the LGBTI population.
A lot of people aren’ t aware that in the general population up to 15 per cent of Australians identify as LGBTI. People often say,“ Well, we don’ t have those people here,” which first of all points to the fact that they need training in inclusive language, but also that people aren’ t feeling safe and so aren’ t coming out to staff.
Also, with the elder population, staff often aren’ t aware of their historical problems which arise for these people and how that has affected them and their lives. How we treat these people can significantly improve people’ s wellbeing.
How important is it to promote intimacy and sexual expression within the ageing sector? It’ s very important. Sexuality is one form of intimacy, but there are other forms such as physical, just a gentle touch, or it could be intellectual or spiritual. So really looking and talking to the person about what is important for them, and then that will optimise people’ s wellbeing and their ability to live life well.
As a religious institution, what’ s it like balancing residents’ rights with the organisation’ s values? Well, our organisation does cater for people from a very orthodox background. We have a range of people with values. Our attitude is to be inclusive of all people. I think with any organisation, it’ s really recognising that people have that right to be treated with respect and courtesy, and the right to form relationships and enjoy relationships with whoever they choose to, and for us to enable that. At times I think it’ s challenging for anybody regardless of what their religious background is, because in general people
Up to 15 per cent of Australians identify as LGBTI.
don’ t talk about this topic to its full extent. It’ s just often spoken about very briefly.
So it was quite interesting, in terms of language, when we were writing the policy because of the perception not to offend anyone, but we kept going back to how we do want to treat people inclusively and also promote people’ s wellbeing. ■
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