Supporting LGBTQ+ individuals living in care homes
This Pride Month, four care team members tell us how they are supporting LGBTQ+ older people to ‘Thrive Inclusively’ – from values-based caring and recruitment practices, to facilitating opportunities for people to express their sexual or gender identity.
‘Thrive Inclusively’ was one of the 6 key themes to emerge from our ‘Thriving in Residential Care’ research.
It highlights how care teams across England are helping those they care for to feel welcome, safe, valued and respected – regardless of characteristic or background.
Within this, we saw examples of care teams fostering inclusive environments that support and celebrate individuals who are LGBTQ+. This led to really powerful moments, including older people who finally felt safe enough to ‘come out’ as gay in later life.
Hear from Lucy, Millie, Gemma and Jay, who work in care homes across the UK:
Download our resourcePractice ideas:
- Including questions about gender and sexuality on care plans
- Employing staff with the same values in order to promote an inclusive culture
- Supporting people to express their sexuality and recognising and facilitating the need for privacy, e.g. time alone in rooms
- Having a clear culture of inclusivity, e.g. displaying leaflets on promoting LGBTQ+ rights in care in communal areas