Digital resources for ageing 2SLGBTQI community

TORONTO – Negotiating care and support later in life can present unique challenges for 2SLGBTQI older adults and their caregivers, for myriad social and structural reasons. To help address these challenges, Egale Canada and the National Institute on Ageing, with support from the Slaight Family Foundation, are pleased to launch The National Resource Centre on 2SLGBTQI Aging (NRCA).

This NRCA is a first-of-its-kind digital resource centre that shares curated, cutting-edge research and resources about aging that address the unique needs of 2SLGBTQI older adults and their communities, featuring topics such as End-of-Life Care and Planning, Health and Well-being, Health Care and Services and Housing and Long-Term Care. It makes research materials accessible to older adults, to their communities and to healthcare and social service providers.

2SLGBTQI older adults have lived through significant shifts in their rights and freedoms and are among the first demographic to live openly with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities in old age. These lived experiences, including both traumatic and harmful interactions with healthcare and social service providers, can continue to influence their experience of aging. In addition, older adults in 2SLGBTQI communities often experience specific barriers in accessing affirming health care and social services, as well as secure housing and other basic necessities.

The NRCA is just the latest example of the NIA’s research and outreach activities designed to help older Canadians age in a way that best reflects their specific needs and circumstances, said Dr. Samir Sinha, NIA director of health policy research.

“Unfortunately, it can still be difficult for 2SLGBTQI older adults and their caregivers to find information and resources that centre their perspectives,” he said. “We hope the NRCA will make it easier to access equitable and comprehensive support and care, while fostering greater dialogue among health care and social service providers about how to better serve 2SLGBTQI communities.”

The NRCA welcomes submissions of resources and research related to 2SLGBTI ageing issues. More information can be found here.