Leading & Learning WITH PRIDE: A Revitalized Tool Kit on Supporting 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors
Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and other gender- and sexually-diverse (2SLGBTQI+) older adults face unique challenges as they age and often experience barriers to access across healthcare, long-term care, retirement, homecare, and social service environments. 2SLGBTQI+ older adults experience stigma and discrimination at all points of the healthcare continuum, negatively affecting physical and psychological health and wellbeing.
As directed by Recommendation 22 in the Toronto Seniors Strategy 2.0, the City of Toronto Seniors Services and Long-Term Care (SSLTC) collaborated with community members, service providers, advocates, and allies to revitalize a 2SLGBTQI+ Tool Kit. Based on the guiding value of “Advancing Respectful, Inclusive & Affirming Care”, Leading & Learning WITH PRIDE aims to prevent stigma and discrimination at all points of care, including community and public health, social services, home care, long term care, and other support settings.
Grounded in the theory of intersectionality, the toolkit includes guidance from the working group, insights from folks with lived expertise, as well as real-world examples and resources to support practitioners in providing respectful, inclusive, and affirming care to 2SLGBTQI+ older adults.
The toolkit is divided into two sections:
Section I Building Individual Knowledge and Skills includes:
- resources for clarifying language and terminology
- an overview of current research and
- an exploration of what it means to be an ally for 2SLGBTQI+ older adults.
Section II Building Organizational Capacity includes
- guidance for ongoing improvement and communications
- information on developing policies and procedures
- resources to support evaluation and
- descriptions of community and other initiatives for education, advocacy, training, engaging partners, and creating formal organizing groups.
The toolkit also includes a Respectful, Inclusive, and Affirming Care Evaluation Framework for assessing the organization’s progress in supporting 2SLGBTQI+ older adults. The evaluation framework includes indicators for measuring progress and allows for tracking stages of progress and planning next steps.
Use this resource to:
- Develop an individual learning plan for supporting 2SLGBTQI+ older adults.
- Create a workplan for enhancing your organization’s capacity to address stigma and discrimination in the healthcare of 2SLGBTQI+ older adults.
- Develop partnerships to advance respectful, inclusive and affirming health and social services for 2SLGBTQI+ older adults.
Related Resources:
Promoting Health for Older Adults – Webinar series (2022)
Let’s Talk: Intersectionality (2022)
Promoting the Health of Older Adults: the Canadian Experience (2021)
Promoting LGBTQ2 mental health through an end to conversion therapy: The role of public health (2020)
Achieving health equity for LGBT people (n.d.)
Reference
City of Toronto. (2022). Leading & Learning WITH PRIDE A Revitalized Tool Kit on Supporting 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors. City of Toronto: Retrieved from https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/housing-shelter/rental-housing-tenant-information/finding-housing/long-term-care-homes/all-homes/?accordion=leading-and-learning-with-pride
Tags: Access to health services, 2SLGBTQI+ health, Methods & tools, Older Adults, Sex & gender, Document, Tool