Equity , diversity and belonging
Feature
The LGBTQ + Dementia Advisory Group
Thomas Williams advocates for improved support for LGBTQ + people affected by dementia
Although living as someone who identifies as LGBTQ + in the UK is undoubtedly easier than it was 50 years ago , LGBTQ + people still face stigma , discrimination , and experience health inequities ( Stonewall 2018 ).
Add to this a diagnosis of dementia and suddenly a person must deal with a double stigma . Often , this involves navigating a lack of understanding from healthcare professionals about the impact that years of oppression has left on LGBTQ + individuals who grew up in the latter half of the 20th Century .
Organisations such as Alzheimer ’ s Society have made good progress over the last few years towards highlighting the individual support needs of LGBTQ + people living with dementia ( Alzheimer ’ s Society 2021 ).
However , there remains a need for improved awareness and understanding of LGBTQ + identities in health and social care across the UK .
The LGBTQ + Dementia Advisory Group is passionate about improving the lives of people affected by dementia who identify as LGBTQ +. As a founding member and ex-chair of this volunteer-led online group , I now provide administrative support behind the scenes to facilitate our monthly Zoom meetings . I attend meetings when my university timetable allows it , too .
The aims of the group are to offer regular networking opportunities for people interested in this area and to share best practice about supporting people affected by dementia who identify as LGBTQ +.
You can view our current collection of helpful documents at https :// bit . ly / LGBTQDementia Resources .
We value the input of people with lived experience and our members consist of people living with dementia , carers of people living with dementia , and professionals with experience of supporting people living with dementia . Some of our members identify as LGBTQ + and others do not .
We recently organised a two-part webinar at the beginning of May to raise awareness of the intersection of LGBTQ + identities and dementia and were pleased to receive an overwhelmingly positive response .
In particular , attendees were astonished to hear the personal experiences shared by our core members affected by dementia .
In the first part of the webinar , core members of the advisory group gave a presentation outlining key historical events in the UK relating to LGBTQ + identities , the scope of the situation today for LGBTQ + people affected by dementia , and advice on how to better support LGBTQ + people living with dementia .
In the second part , a panel of people living with dementia and a carer passionately answered questions in a live ‘ Ask Us Anything ’ forum . The webinars are available to watch on our website by visiting https :// lgbtqdementiaadvisorygroup . net .
Occupational therapists can better support LGBTQ + people living with dementia by demonstrating an understanding of how LGBTQ + identities may affect the way LGBTQ + people interact with health and social care professionals .
I invite you to watch the webinars this Pride month to learn from our members with lived experience .
We are currently looking for new members and particularly welcome those who can contribute to the group by helping with administrative tasks , getting involved in our projects , or to develop our social media presence .
Join our team of people with different backgrounds and first-hand insight into living experiences of people with dementia to help improve understanding and relevant support .
If you are interested in getting involved or have any queries that you think we can help answer , please contact us at
lgbtq . dementia @ gmail . com .
Words THOMAS WILLIAMS , PgDip Occupational Therapy Student , Cardiff University
24 OTnews June 2022