Benedicta Lasoye is a Dementia Friends Champion. In recognition of Pride Month 2020, here she reflects on Sessions she has run for LGBT+ groups and why it's important that we think about the specific issues that people from the LGBT+ community who are affected by dementia may face.
"June is the same as any other month of the year for me - but as a Dementia Friends Champion I wanted to reach further into our community in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. So, I did just that. Pride is an annual event aimed at raising awareness and combating prejudice against the LGBT+ community, and I wanted to shine a light on a group of people who have our collective community and compassion at the heart of what they do.
Aylesbury has such an amazing community and after a few phonecalls, I was able to schedule a Dementia Friends Information Session with an LGBT+ social group in a local pub (despite me being an avid tea-drinker!)
I always enjoy delivering Information Sessions as I welcome the interaction. Many attendees had experiences of a caring role, professionally or personally, so it made our Session more engaging and promoted lots of conversations which is always a good thing!
One of the blessings about being a Dementia Friends Champion is that I get to listen to peoples' experiences and our Session was no different. What I did come away with was a greater appreciation of the need for members of the LGBT+ community and their families to be treated with compassion and understanding. Many people will not have acknowledged some of the challenges they face. For example, in a care home setting, it’s really valuable for a same-sex couple to have the privacy to share a meal or quiet moments together. Another may be that living with dementia could cause someone who identifies as transgender to dis-associate themselves with who there were and who they are now – much like not recognizing your older self in a mirror. If the carers who support that person were not aware of this it makes many things more challenging and ultimately distressing. Having same-sex marriages made legal in all parts of the UK has also greatly helped in legal issues such as Lasting Power of Attorney and Next of Kin matters.
I’m glad that I was able to find ways to provide information and add this fab group of friends to my list of contacts I’m regularly in touch with. I look forward to the time (post Covid-19) when we can all catch up physically again, but until then I’ll just keep zooming away!
#alittlesdoesalot #happypride2020"
Alzheimer's Society has a range of guidance, support and advice for people from the LGBT+ community who are affected by dementia. Click here to find out more.
