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June 15, 2023
LGBTQ+ Elders in an Ever-Changing World Conference
Thursday, June 15, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Register for Forward is a Fluid Motion (Registration closes June 14)
Conference Fee: $95 - with CEUs / $75 - No-CEUs / $25 - Seniors and Students
A virtual one-day conference focusing on interdisciplinary practice and community engagement for people working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning +older adults and caregivers.
LGBTQ+ people interested in their own aging or caregiving needs are invited to attend.
Keynote speaker: Dr. Imani Woody (Keynote Speaker Bio and Presentation)
Workshops
SESSION 1
10:15 - 11:30 a.m.
LGBTQIA+ Aging 101: What You Need to Know About Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual Older Adults
This presentation addresses unique issues facing LGBTQIA+ older adults and provides individual and organizational best practices to effectively serve LGBTQIA+ older adults and caregivers.
Presenter: Lisa Krinsky, MSW, LICSW - Aging Project at the Fenway Institute at Fenway Health
Exploring Needs of LGBTQ+ Caregivers/Persons with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease
In the U.S. approximately 350,000 LGBTQ+ older adults are living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), and more than 40,000 are living with Parkinson's disease (PD). There are unique challenges experienced by LGBTQ+ caregivers of persons living with ADRD and PD. We will describe current research efforts aimed at understanding the health needs and challenges of LGBTQ+ caregivers and LGBTQ+ persons living with ADRD and PD.
Presenters: Brittany Klenczar / Jacq Tate - University of Nevada, Las Vegas
To Be Heard, To Be Seen: Leading with LGBTQ+ Elders
One of the biggest challenges facing LGBTQ+ older adults today, especially LGBTQ+ older adults of color, is visibility and representation. Participants will learn about Pride Action Tank's collaborative approach to LGBTQ+ older adult-centered programming and initiatives.
Presenters: Kim Hunt, MMP, MUPP / Iana Amiscaray, M.Ed. - Pride Action Tank
SESSION 2
11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act and LGBTQ+ Caregivers
Many LGBTQ+ older adults are likely to be caregivers or care recipients within a family of choice and have no biological relation or legally recognized relationship. The stress of caregiving without recognition in medical settings adds to the LGBTQ+ caregiver burden and impacts the caregiver's health. This presentation will discuss health disparities faced by LGBTQ+ older adults and their caregivers, their unique challenges, specifics of the CARE Act and how the CARE Act supports LGBTQ+ patients, their chosen care partners, and safer care transitions.
Presenter: Laura Vanderhill, LSW, MHA - Healthcentric Advisors
Suicide Risk at the Intersection of LGBTQ+ and Aging
Suicide risk for both older adults and members of the LGBTQ+ community is at epidemic levels. Conversations about suicide, while difficult, can save lives. The combination of stigma directed at the LGBTQ+ and the elder communities, along with the challenges we all face in discussing the topic of suicide, often prevents us from having meaningful and direct communications with people we fear may be suicidal. This workshop will provide information on suicide risk specific to these groups, tools to use to open conversations on suicidality, and resources to assist those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts, plans, or actions.
Presenters: Kirk Woodring, LCSW - AgeSpan / Stacey Jackson-Roberts, LCSW - Encircle
Advance Directives to Manage Anxieties of Transgender People about Dementia
Transgender people and especially those of color bear heightened risk of dementia and may fear healthcare discrimination. Little is known about the impact of dementia on a transgender person's gender identity. Advance directives may help avoid losing control over their gender expression.
Presenter: Ames Simmons - Duke University School of Law
SESSION 3
1:30 - 2:45 p.m.
What LGBTQ+ Older Adults and Caregivers Need to Know: Legal Rights, Protective Policies, and the Future Landscape
This presentation discusses current laws and federal policies affecting LGBTQ+ Older Adults, practical ways for taking advantage of them, and likely developments in the future.
Presenters: Shelly Skeen - Lambda Legal / Aaron Tax - SAGE
Loving our Aging Queer Bodies: Challenging Ageism One Sexual Pleasure at a Time
We will discuss the challenges and joys as sexual beings as we age in a frank, research-based, and humorous way.
Presenter: Jane Fleishman, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.S. - Speaking Of, LLC
Out Loud: Healthcare Advocacy for Transgender and Gender Diverse Elders
This interactive workshop explores healthcare advocacy by patients and providers in response to challenges that transgender and gender diverse elders may experience in healthcare settings.
Presenter: Lauren Catlett, MSN, RN, CNL - University of Virginia School of Nursing
Register for Forward is a Fluid Motion (Registration closes June 14)
