Health
Dignity Seniors Society (DSS) is comprised of a group of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals who are committed to providing information and advocacy to service providers that serve or potentially serve our communities. We hope that you find what you are looking for on our website, but please feel free to contact us with your questions, requests or suggestions.
As a Seniors’ health service provider, you already know that seniors have multiple and specific health needs and gender and sexually diverse individuals also have their specific health needs; the DSS is committed to exploring the intersection of these needs to determine the unique health needs of the members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
We advocate for these needs to be met through policy and procedures developed by Government, Health Authority and senior’ service providers. We also aim to inform through the Dignity Senior Society Health Blog, provides information to share what we know and make it available to all, whether that be dealing with HIV impacts, Trans Health or mental health and many other issues.
Service Providers ‘Health’ Resources
Before listing some useful resources we need to acknowledge the complexities of serving individuals and communities with multiple and intersecting identities. Service providers need to develop an awareness of serving individuals, and not accept information listed in resources as applying to all service users who adopt a specific GSD identity.
The importance of intersectionality.
People ask,
“An issue that affects 2SLGBTQIA+ BIPOC Seniors, wouldn’t that necessarily be included in work done by organization working with Seniors and organization working with BiPOC populations?”
The simple answer is that this is a trickle-down approach to social justice and many times it just doesn’t work. Without frames that allow us to see how social/health/housing/financial problems impact all the members of a targeted group, many will fall through the cracks of our movements, left to suffer in virtual isolation. (adapted from the HEC Report, 2021)
In 2021, the B.C. Sexual and Gender Diversity Health Equity Collaborative (HEC) released an excellent report on health disparities in Sexual and Gender Diverse communities, unique to this study was the prioritizing of Black, Indigenous, Multi-racial and People of Colours’. 2SQTBIMPOC (Two-Spirit, Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, Multi-Racial, People of Colour). The report makes recommendations on the topics of safety, education and empowerment. Access the full report here.
Does your organization meet the DSS Standards of Cultural Acumen - see how you and your organization are doing by watching these two videos: part one; part two
LGBTQ Cultures: What Health Care Professionals Need to Know About Sexual & Gender Diversity, Michele J. Eliason et al.
Mental Health
A coalition of dedicated service providers and researchers at the Round Table have developed “The Mind Map” an excellent resource to locate 2SLGBTQIA+ appropriate services in BC - MindMapBC
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Trans Care BC - Provincial Health Services Authority - provides excellent training for all professionals regardless of your current knowledge level - including self study online webinars and training videos. Find out more here.
Clinical Guidelines for Transgender Care, Trans Care Project, Vancouver, Canada
Accord Alliance (Intersex; facts, realities and challenges)
The Center of Excellence for Transgender Health (University of California San Francisco) recently added the Transgender Health Learning Center to provide guidance for organizations and clinics to incorporate the "Recommendations for Inclusive Data Collection of Trans People in HIV Prevention, Care & Services." When you finish the Acknowledging Gender and Sex course you will be able to: Demonstrate how to collect the two-step gender and sex differentiation questions, using appropriate language; Demonstrate the use of appropriate language to explain to all patients why they are being asked separate questions about their gender and sex; State at least three reasons why the two-step gender and sex method is important; Describe at least three ways in which cultural competence in transgender care affects health outcomes for this population.
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Lesbian Health 101: A Clinician's Guide, Patty Robertson, MD & Sue Dibble, DNSc, eds
Bisexual Health: An Introduction & Model Practices, Trans Care Project, Vancouver, Canada
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Health Initiative for Men (HIM)- Lower Mainland based organization initiated in 2009 and serving all GSD male identified individuals. HIM takes a comprehensive approach to healthy living focusing on mental, physical, sexual and social health -Check out their website here.
Bisexual Health: An Introduction & Model Practices, Trans Care Project, Vancouver, Canada
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UBC Center for Gender and Sexual Health Equity - REAFIRM Collaborative - Researching Environments that Affirm 2S/LGBTQ+ Identities, Relationships & Mental Health (REAFFIRM) - The REAFFIRM Collaborative is an interdisciplinary team committed to promoting 2S/LGBTQ+ health equity. Access their excellent resources here.
Simon Fraser University Department of Gerontology, headed by professor Gloria Gutman, has done some excellent work around LGBT2SQ Seniors’ abuse and has an excellent resource page here.
Advance Care Planning helps individuals plan future care in case they are not able to make decisions for themselves at some time in the future- the iCAN Diversity Access Team is assessing, tailoring, implementing, and evaluating ACP tools aimed at minority populations. Read more here.
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (USA) - a good site for GSD/LGBT health and wellness research. Health disparities and HP 2020 data - read more here.
