A TASMANIAN gender and sexuality support and education service says there is still a way to go before elderly people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are treated as equals. Working It Out hosted an awards ceremony at Kings Meadows aged care facility The Manor on Tuesday to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. Glenview Community Services and Uniting AgeWell were awarded Dorothys by the organisation for inclusive practice. Uniting AgeWell manager of integrated services Vicki Pollock said the company was taking steps to better care for its LGBTI residents. “A lot of elderly LGBTI people have had to hide their identity for a lot of their lives, so they feel very unsafe coming into aged care because they don’t know what staff will be like or if they’re going to judged,” she said. Working It Out executive officer Susan Ditter said: “I think that there’s more to do but it’s exciting we were able to give two awards in Tasmania.”
WINNERS ARE GRINNERS: Glenview Community Services chief executive Lucy O'Flaherty, Working It Out executive officer Susan Ditter and Uniting AgeWell manager of integrated services Vicki Pollock. Picture: Emily Baker.
A TASMANIAN gender and sexuality support and education service says there is still a way to go before elderly people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are treated as equals.
Working It Out hosted an awards ceremony at Kings Meadows aged care facility The Manor on Tuesday to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
Glenview Community Services and Uniting AgeWell were awarded Dorothys by the organisation for inclusive practice.
Uniting AgeWell manager of integrated services Vicki Pollock said the company was taking steps to better care for its LGBTI residents.
“A lot of elderly LGBTI people have had to hide their identity for a lot of their lives, so they feel very unsafe coming into aged care because they don’t know what staff will be like or if they’re going to judged,” she said.
Working It Out executive officer Susan Ditter said: “I think that there’s more to do but it’s exciting we were able to give two awards in Tasmania.”
