Supporting Gay & Lesbian Older People

This course aims to support practitioners to work in positive and affirming ways with Gay and Lesbian older service users. In doing so, it aims to explore issues of homophobia and heterosexism on personal, interpersonal, institutional and cultural levels; how these issues impact on practice and how they can be challenged.

Participants will be encouraged to critically explore their own attitudes to Gay and Lesbian people and to homophobia and heterosexism. Participants will also be able to explore practical steps that can be taken in meeting specific needs of this service user group.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this training course participants should understand:

• Definitions (challenging the myths):
        -Gay
        -Lesbian
        -Bisexual
        -Transgender
        -Transvestite
        -Asexual
        etc.
• A brief account of Gay and Lesbian history in the UK including the development of the law-from criminalisation to
  recent legislation incl. Equal Opportunities legislation and Civil Partnerships
• The organisation’s stance on supporting this group incl. harassment and hate crime
• Different life experiences of Gay and Lesbian people:
        -single lifestyles
        -friends as ‘family’
        -family and community rejection/hostility
        -children issues
        -partnerships
        -next of kin
        -hidden lives
        -just 'ordinary'
        etc
• How this experience may have negatively impacted on the individual:
        -isolation
        -low self esteem
        -defensive responses
        -mental health
        -the early years of HIV/AIDS
        etc.
• The importance of not making assumptions
        -people are individuals and have individual histories
        -how to avoid stereotyping
        -being Person Centred
• The various forms of homophobia and heterosexism
• Their own attitudes to homophobia and heterosexism
• How negative attitudes might manifest when supporting older people
        -overt behaviours
        -covert behaviours
• How to develop an empathic, respectful and accepting professional ‘attitude’
• Good practice references
• How risks may be exacerbated by homophobia and heterosexism
• Language that is inclusive to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people
• Areas that need to be considered when supporting older people
        -next of kin
        -socialising
        -sexual need
        -privacy & dignity
        -peers
        -support groups/resources
        -community
        etc.
• Challenging discrimination in the workplace

Learning Methods:

• Warm ups and icebreakers
• Case studies
• Handouts
• Small group work
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Discussion
• Tutor presentations
• Chalk & Talk
• Word shower method

CP37/4.9