100 likes | 113 Views
Don’t Look Back: Improving social care service delivery for older lesbian, gay and bisexual service users. Elizabeth Price. What do we know?. Very little! Policy, research, guidance, practice - the heterosexual imperative
E N D
Don’t Look Back: Improving social care service delivery for older lesbian, gay and bisexual service users Elizabeth Price
What do we know? • Very little! • Policy, research, guidance, practice - the heterosexual imperative • The ageing experience – mediated through disadvantage and discrimination • Why is the LGB perspective an issue?
The Legislative Framework • Providing protection and strengthening equality: • The Mental Capacity Act (2005) • The Equality Act (2006),The Equality Act (2010) • The Civil Partnership Act (2004) • The Equality Act (Sexual Orientations Regulations)(2007)
Service reform • The Personalisation Agenda • ‘Sexuality sensitive’ care • Recent developments: • National Carers Strategy • The End of Life Care Strategy • The National Dementia Strategy • The Dignity Agenda
Key Themes • Accessing services – Discrimination and negative experiences
I came out in the 50s – and that was shit – now I am dependent on carers and I am frightened… I am very frightened of them… what if they find out that I am a lesbian… what are they going to do to me… I have ‘de-gayed’ my house… this is much worse than the 50s. I want to be able to be gay in my last days – I don’t want to have to hide again and I particularly don’t want to have to hide because the home help is coming round… (Older lesbian interviewee quoted in Pugh, 2010)
Key Themes • Accessing services – Discrimination and negative experiences • Service delivery – Invisibility and assumed heterosexuality
My (former) GP prescribed HRT and said that “it should make my husband happy”. I was stunned by the sexist and heterosexist assumptions wrapped up in this comment. Older lesbian respondent quoted in River (forthcoming)
Key Themes • Accessing services – Discrimination and negative experiences • Service delivery – Invisibility and assumed heterosexuality • LGB specific health and social care issues • Positive practice