Pride in Practice: How one care home is Thriving Inclusively
We’re delighted that our Thriving in Residential Care research continues to make a meaningful impact in care homes across the country, as care leaders put the key research findings into practice!
One care home manager who participated in the original research, recently got in touch to share how exploring the theme of Thrive Inclusively in more detail has led to changes in their practice, plus a transformative moment for one gentleman, who finally felt comfortable to voice his sexuality.
Reflecting on inclusivity
This particular care home participated in our original research. Their experience inspired the care team to ask deeper questions about inclusivity, especially around sexual identity. They’d noticed that one gentleman would often repeat, “I like women. I like women, though. I like women,” especially when he was unwell.
The manager said:
“I thought that there may be some repression or trauma in his life story, and it became clear that he did not feel comfortable expressing his sexual identity.”
Taking part in the research sparked reflection about how Pride was celebrated in the home, and whether more could be done to foster a truly inclusive environment.
Whilst the home has always prided itself on being welcoming and respectful of differences, they acknowledged that visible signs of LGBTQ+ inclusion were limited, and some staff and older people lacked confidence discussing sexual diversity.
Creating a more inclusive environment
Putting their reflections into action, in March 2025 the home welcomed an invitation from us to host the Freya Team from the Czech Republic. Freya is a non-profit organisation focusing on supporting sexuality and relationships, visiting the UK to learn more about inclusivity in our care homes and to share their expertise.
Around the same time, care staff also took part in LGBTQ+ awareness training. This session highlighted how small, visible signs like Pride flags, inclusive literature and open conversations, can help people feel recognised, safe, and valued.
The manager also shared a personal insight that deepened her understanding of the importance of diverse representation:
“As a Southeast Asian woman, seeing the flag of my country gives me a sense of pride, safety, and belonging. I realised that displaying Pride symbols could have the same empowering effect for LGBTQ+ residents.”
So, as a result of taking part in the research, and the subsequent training and visit from Freya, the home began displaying inclusive posters and symbols throughout the building.
Not longer after, during their first full Pride celebration in summer 2025, the gentleman who had long repeated “I like women”, looked at the flags, smiled, and expressed with confidence for the first time: “I am gay.”
His declaration is testament to the impact of inclusive care. It highlights how creating a safe, inclusive environment where people can express their identities without fear can support people of all ages to be their full selves, and to really Thrive.
The manager of the care home added:
“Participation in the ‘Thriving in Residential Care’ project directly influenced our decision to host the Freya Team, undertake LGBTQ+ training, and implement visible signs of inclusivity. These actions have strengthened our home’s culture, improved staff awareness and confidence, and created a tangible difference in the wellbeing and self-expression of our residents.”
We loved hearing this story – thank you to the care home for sharing it with us, and for their fantastic efforts supporting people to Thrive Inclusively!
For more examples of how care homes across the country are supporting people to connect with their faith, culture, ethnicity, sexuality and gender identity, see our ‘Thriving in Residential Care’ study:
See the Thriving researchWatch a video summary of ‘Thrive Inclusively’, which features another ‘coming out’ story: