ChangingAging readers who provide or manage end-of-life care services should visit the Hospice and Caregiving Blog to access a new free webinar on “Aging and End-of-Life Challenges in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community.”
The Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) has developed the new education tool for caregivers to address aging and end-of-life challenges in the LGBT community. The free online program is part of the Hospice Information Center, an extensive online library that also includes programs on understanding Hospice, family caregiving, coping with cancer at the end of life, and understanding grief.
During my career as a journalist I had the privilege of covering national LGBT civil rights issues, including the battle for marriage equality. One of the most important issues at stake in this battle is the dignity and sacredness of end-of-life decision making and visitation rights for people in same-sex relationships. It is critical for caregivers to be sensitive and knowledgable about the challenges and issues that LGBT partners face in end-of-life situations. Kudos to HFA for providing these resources.
” What would you do if you were old, disabled or ill – and the person feeding you put down the spoon and explained that you are going to hell unless you change your sexual orientation? Sound absurd? According to social workers, it’s happening every day.”
This is an exerpt from the upcoming documentary titled Gen Silent (see link below) coming out on DVD in 2011. I wanted to share this with your blog readers as another opportunity to catch a glimpse of the unique challenges that the LGBT community is facing with aging.
http://stumaddux.com/gen_silent_about.html