Care homes urged to encourage 'LGBT-friendly atmosphere'

Academics are calling on care homes to encourage an ‘LGBT-friendly atmosphere’, after finding only a minority of care home staff receiving training in LGBT issues.

A study carried out by researchers from the Universities of Nottingham and Manchester, concluded that many older lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people feel unable to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to staff, after finding the majority of staff claim there are no LGBT residents in their homes.

Dr Kathryn Almack, senior research fellow at The University of Nottingham’s Sue Ryder Care Centre, said: “It was common to hear the phrase ‘I/we treat everyone the same’. While well-intentioned, ironically, this reinforces rather than prevents or tackles inequality. Encouraging an LGBT-friendly atmosphere needs to be higher on the agenda.

“All residents should have the option and opportunity to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity but never feel forced to disclose information.”

Almost 80 per cent of care home staff said that they had never been provided with any training in LGBT issues at their current work place. Similarly, only nine per cent of said their care home made LGBT-specific literature available.

Dr Almack added: “The goodwill of individual staff needs converting into a collective resource and translating into strategically informed practice."

The University of Manchester’s Dr Paul Simpson believes it is important that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people are able to be open about their sexuality or gender identity.

He said: “Most respondents reported ‘we don’t have any LGB and T people at the moment’ – but that can’t be true. We’re not critical of care homes, as attitudes appear positive, but we do feel many may simply not be able to recognise people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans. That, unintentionally, is likely to force residents back into the closet and deny a lifetime of experience.”

The survey canvassed the views of 189 care home staff in England and carried out by researchers from the Universities of Nottingham and Manchester. The sample was predominantly middle-aged, female, white British and heterosexual.

For more on LGBT and care homes see www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1558312/call-for-more-lgbt-training-for-care-home-staff-after-a-lesbian-tries-to-commit-suicide-in-a-care-home