Overview

This presentation examines ageing among sexuality and gender diverse populations, with a particular focus on experiences within residential aged care systems. Dr Ruby Grant will present findings on the health and wellbeing of older LGBTQ+ adults in Australia, drawing on national survey data that highlights key challenges affecting this population, including high levels of loneliness, psychological distress, and lifetime suicidality, alongside experiences of discrimination and barriers to accessing affirming services. Despite these challenges, many older LGBTQ+ adults report strong connections with LGBTQ+ communities and supportive networks, underscoring the importance of social connection and inclusive care environments in promoting wellbeing.

Dr. Grant will introduce the Rainbow Inclusive Aged Care project, a five-year Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)– funded collaboration across multiple universities and community partners. The project seeks to co-create and evaluate a model of rainbow inclusive residential aged care through surveys with aged care workers, ethnographic observations, and interviews with residents, staff, and stakeholders. Using co-design and participatory approaches, the research aims to identify structural and cultural barriers to inclusive care and develop practical resources and guidelines to support implementation across the aged care sector.

Professor Limin Mao will also provide an overview of the health and care needs of sexuality and gender diverse people living with stigmatised conditions, including HIV and Hepatitis B. Together, the presentations highlight how stigma, ageing, and health inequities intersect, and outline opportunities for psychology, health, and social care sectors to develop more inclusive, evidence-informed models of care that better support the wellbeing of older LGBTQ+ communities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this event, participants should have an improved understanding of how:

• Increasing health service access equity among ageing populations needs to understand their diverse backgrounds.
• Improving patient-centred care among ageing populations needs to address diversity in values and service needs.
• Involving people with lived/living experience from diverse backgrounds is a critical step to understand and address the unmet demands in aged care.

Presenter(s)

Dr. Ruby Grant and Prof Limin Mao

About the presenter(s)

Dr. Ruby Grant is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, where she leads the centre’s LGBTIQA+ Research Theme. Dr Grant is a public health scholar specialising in LGBTQ+ health with a focus on mental health, gender affirmation, and alcohol and other drug use across the life course. Professor Limin Mao is at the Centre for Social Research in Health and affiliated with the International Centre for Future Health Systems, UNSW Sydney. Her research work focuses on preventing, treating and caring for people with infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases.

Notes

Target Audience

This event is aimed at psychologists and other clinicians working in the aged care system.

Please note:

• This is a Member Groups event. All communication will be sent to the registrants’ registered email address. This includes event reminders with details (such as the Zoom link) and any pre-event or post-event resources, if provided by the facilitators.
• A post-event email will be sent within two weeks of the event’s completion to each registrant’s registered email address. This email will include the CPD certificate, event-recording, and any additional resources shared during the session.

Duration of Access

This event will be recorded. The recording will be emailed to all registered within 2 weeks post event and available for viewing up to 90 days.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.