19/01/2022 | Writer: Rıza Yılmaz
Rıza Yılmaz wrote social service to LGBTI+s at micro, mezzo and macro levels in the context of equality.
The inclusiveness of social service as a profession, which is based upon the core values like equality and justice, should be constantly questioned in the light of diversified identities. People also get older with their culture, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender characteristics in the societies aging day after day. This means that social service should find several ways in order to enhance its inclusiveness while working with elder people. Social service experts have an important role in understanding every jot and tittles that aging people with their diversified identities, may need, to provide their well-being and to support them for having a healthy aging process and of course in ensuring positive transformations on each jot and tittles.
While discrimination and stigmatization experienced by LGBTI+s go up every passing day, the preference of coming out and being in the closet also varies according to the environment they live in. Living without feeling the need to hide their gender identity and to maintain their life by accepting this identity is an important step at the self-realization period. The visibility of LGBTI+s as an issue and the number of LGBTI+s living openly increase thanks to activism and with changing social structures. As a result, the number of elderly LGBTI+s who prefer being open or will prefer also increases day by day.
Being an elderly LGBTI+ is still an unheeded issue and a position cannot be foreseen even by the LGBTI+s. Thus, carrying out a social service activity to elderly LGBTI+s is an essential issue from the standpoint of offering an insight into the dark sides of the future of LGBTI+s. Therefore, being aware of social service activities from the micro level to macro, will help social service experts, regardless of their working field, to increase the well-being of LGBTI+s.
Social Service to LGBTI+ Elders at Micro Level
Being an elderly LGBTI+ means to be obliged to cope with a series of troubles in an intersectional position considering the micro-level. While people experience many problems at society just because of being LGBTI+, new ones may be attached to these troubles when they become older. Being an elderly LGBTI+ also brings new problem areas and challenges over.
It is important to plan the intervention process considering the problems they face for a social service expert working with LGBTI+ elders at the micro level. According to the researches, LGBTI+ elders have a lower rate of having a child or a partner compared to non-LGBTI+ people of similar age. In addition, they are exposed to lifelong discrimination and exclusion far more than non-LGBTI+ people. As a result, it is possible to say the rates of living alone and isolation are very high for LGBTI+ elders. This reality shows that a social service expert working with LGBTI+ elders has to be aware of loneliness and isolation mentioned and strengthen them from hence.
It is essential to learn which social support mechanism the applicants benefit from when working with LGBTI+ elders. It is important to work for making them aware of this and helping them to find out different ways to benefit from it. For instance, coming together with LGBTI+s around will help them to cope with the feelings like loneliness and social isolation so even if they do not have a social circle like this, they may be directed to the social support mechanisms they main gain strength. Bringing the applicant together with an association like May 17, which carries on studies with LGBTI+ elders, may be an effective social service intervention. Finding these kinds of peer support may create positive alterations psychosocially by reducing the feeling of loneliness.
Another trouble that LGBTI+s face occurs as a result of lifelong pressure and discrimination they were exposed to due to their gender identity. Chronic activation of the stress-response system impairs health by increasing wear and tear on the body from a psychophysiological view.[1] This shows that LGBTI+s, who experience difficulties at many parts of their life, including accessing basic human rights, carry the traces of a torrid time when they get older. For instance, access to the right to health, which is one of the basic human rights, may become a rocky road for LGBTI+s. According to research conducted, LGBTI+s beware of pronouncing their sexual orientation and gender identity in fear of being tried or being served poor quality.[2] Having been exposed to discrimination while receiving a service or fear of potential discrimination may prevent people from accessing health care. Refraining from receiving health services may cause an increase in health problems that go up with age, and may also worsen the health condition. Social service experts may assume a role to establish a connection between people and experts, who will serve them without prejudgment, to overcome this problem. In addition, strengthening studies may also be conducted to reduce their anxiety related to potential discrimination.
As mentioned, various studies may be conducted with LGBTI+ elders with their diversified identities however we have to keep in mind that LGBTI+s also may have divergent identities which determine their requirements. Herein it is important for a social service expert to be aware of gender identities like lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, intersex and plus and to know what kind of needs they may feel individually. To exemplify, a social worker should foresee the types of problems may be experienced by transgender applicants in their residence or in a social service organization and should take precautions against these troubles, that is to say social workers should take an important role in providing care service and scheduling their future. People, no matter what age they are, maybe at a transition period. As their requirements and expectations of the applicants will change accordingly, this should be considered while determining the type of service. In addition, people may live with a disability status or with HIV. In this regard it is also important to provide services and make appropriate guidance by being aware of multiple discrimination may be experienced by applicants. No matter how constant and fixed the casework is seen by the social service experts, it should be kept in mind that all the applicants are unique and they continue their lives with their various identities. Updating the information about the various identities also plays a fundamental role along with their career. For instance, E-library which takes place at the website of Kaos GL Association, is one of the important sources to obtain current information related to LGBTI+s.
Social Service to LGBTI+ Elders at Mezzo Level
A social service expert, who will conduct studies with LGBTI+ elders at mezzo level, may organize empowerment activities with the applicant’s family or the nurses who are responsible for the care of elderly, and they can make this process better for elderly LGBTI+s via various group activities.
Bringing elderly LGBTI+s together with young LGBTI+s is the leading among these group activities. Such activities are good for ensuring intergenerational solidarity, in the meantime peer support may be achieved via group activities in which only LGBTI+ elders come together. Social service expert may be the mediator of this solidarity and support. For example some nursing homes, in Toronto and Montreal, organize some special social events for elderly LGBTI+s. LGBTI+ themed movie screenings and readings, tea talks with LGBTI+ guests, roundtable discussions around the issues related to LGBTI+s, bingo parties and cabaret shows hosted by a Drag Queen, preparing banners for Pride March or participating in Pride March with the residents who desire, are among these activities.[3]
Although the risk of loneliness and social isolation for elderly LGBTI+s is often emphasized, it should not be assumed that they would not always be alone and familyless. It should be kept in mind that LGBTI+s also found a family and they may live with their partners, children or other members of their family. In this regard, a study should be conducted with their family members in terms of the “person-in-environment” approach. Understanding the connection between the problems, applicants and their families is essential for a social service expert who has to evaluate the troubles in detail. Social service expert should spread on effort to keep the applicant in a respectable position and to create a circle of members who would support the applicant’s social functioning at a high level, during working with family members. Social service expert, as a moderator, should work to increase the interactions between family members and to improve balances within the family.[4]
Another significant issue at mezzo level is working with caregivers who serve LGBTI+ elders. Caregivers may be someone from a family or a friend or a professional who provide this service. Elderly people may have some rigid habits which are difficult to change. And this may complicate to serve and may trigger weariness and burnout for caregivers. Social service expert may organize some group activities in line with the need of caregivers, in order to increase their well-being. By means of these activities, in which experiences, emotions, problems and so on are shared, caregivers may become aware of they are not alone and they may find alternative solutions to the problems they experienced.[5]
Social Service to LGBTI+ Elders at Macro Level
Making the institutions, in which elderly LGBTI+s live, suitable for them is the most important issue at macro level. In this context, at first institutions have to make an effort to provide an inclusive area for elderly LGBTI+s, where they feel secure physically, emotionally and mentally. Some illustrations or photographs of same-sex partners may be hung on the walls beside rainbow visuals. In case of working in a boarding institution, educations may be conducted with the residents for increasing awareness or some informative brochures, books or magazines related to LGBTI+s, may be put at common spaces.
It is necessary to work in order to establish an inclusive communication and not to make applicants feel excluded from the moment they enter the institution. It is also necessary to avoid some assumptions like “everyone who comes here are heterosexual and non-trans or not intersex” to prevent exclusion. Some regulations should be made at policy documents of the institutions about calling applicants on with the pronouns or names declared by them. The service should be provided sensitively and in line with the needs, experiences, expectations and modes of living which may be derived from their identity so being aware of LGBTI+ identity is essential. Training the staff at the institution in order to make them be aware of LGBTI+ identities, to perform an appropriate language and to ensure confidentiality is also crucial. In addition institutional policies and procedures should aim to increase LGBTI+ inclusiveness, non-discriminative policies should be expressed clearly and a grievance mechanism should be constituted to be used in case of necessity.[6]
As a social service expert having knowledge about digital information methods is vital to increase the social systems can be reached. Within this context some informative videos related to elderly LGBTI+s may be shared on YouTube as well as strengthening ones. These kind of documents may be shared by using other social media platforms similarly. For instance, a live broadcast, which will probably reach a great number of people, may be conducted in order to strengthen LGBTI+ elders on Instagram or some podcasts about social service considering elderly LGBTI+s, may be launched. Moreover some visual documents may be designed to increase awareness and may be shared via social media channels. By this way a macro-level social service may be realized since it provides access to people who are impossible to contact face to face. In the meantime some publications like brochures, magazines considering the relation between social service and LGBTI+ elders, may be prepared and disseminated.
Carrying out studies for influencing policy makers to arrange new legal regulations (lobbying) is an important practice at macro-level social service. First of all it is necessary to review the inclusiveness of LGBTI+s in the statues at large and also it is also essential to understand what kind of alterations are necessary to create a more livable society for them, in this regard. To exemplify, studies or activities have to be conducted by being aware that violence committed against one person among LGBTI+s means a menace for all the others and it is important to work on developing required policies in order to prevent such hate crimes. Nevertheless effects of the policies about marriage, inheritance, social security and retirement on LGBTI+s should be considered and necessary alterations should be evaluated. Forming a public opinion and encouraging public enterprises become crucial herein. İncreasing awareness studies / activities should not be disregarded while forming a public opinion. For instance, information and data related to violence against LGBTI+s with its results, frequency and so on, may be reported and taken air in order to provide visibility of violence. Moreover, information about LGBTI+ exclusive legislation, that is to say social security, pension rights and the effects of these regulations on the future of LGBTI+s, should also be reported and be brought to the agenda. In addition some guide books may be prepared and transmitted to the related proper authorities in order to explain what to do for including LGBTI+s in the policy of public enterprises.
Local administrations are an important part of the activities conducted at macro level. Forming associations or cooperation with local administrations which have an important role on social changes, would create major social changes and would bring continuity. As well as making effort to get promises out of candidates about supporting and not ignoring LGBTI+s, carrying out a work to add LGBTI+ elders friendly activities to the strategic planning of municipalities just before the local elections also may be effective. That is to say a guesthouse for trans people constituted by municipalities, would be a significant service which will meet urgent need for shelter of trans people who are exposed to ongoing psychological, economic and physical violence by different social systems. Carrying out actions to increase the LGBTI+ inclusiveness of elderly care centers, nursing homes and social care centers for elderly is also one of the important steps for strengthening LGBTI+s.
Afterword
A social service expert working with LGBTI+ elders, should be aware of all levels of intervention, from micro to macro, and should know that the effects of alterations achieved would be more than meets the eye. Considering the indirect alterations, a social worker should take care of all levels separately and understand each level in detail in order to cope with problems experienced.
Social service experts should always be able to question themselves and complete their shortage. For example they have to question what kind of a family definition take place in their mind and if this definition does not include chosen families, they have to make effort to transform their mentality.
Regardless of the working area, it should be considered that getting in touch with elderly LGBTI+s consciously or unconsciously is always possible. Social service experts should improve themselves on LGBTI+s and elderliness before such a contact. They have to question themselves whether they have an LGBTI+ exclusive mentality or not and they have to increase their awareness. They should make an effort to minimize unconscious discriminative habits and they should know where to get support from, in case of need.
Social service, which is a rights-based profession with the values of equality and justice, should be maintained by defending the rights of elderly LGBTI+s and should also be in solidarity with LGBTI+s.
* This article has been prepared with reference to A Note on LGBTI+ Elders for Social Service Experts published by May 17 Association.
*This article was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Kaos GL Association and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
[1] Life Course Predictors of Allostatic Load Among LGBTQ Older Adults, Innovation in Aging (Charles Hoy-Ellis, Hyun Kim, Karen Fredriksen Goldsen), 2020
[2] Açık & Görünür: 45-75 Yaşları Arası Yaşlı Lezbiyen, Gey, Biseksüel ve Transların Deneyim ve Tutumları, SAGE (Harris Poll ve Robert Espinoza; Çeviri: Özge Gökpınar, Kırkından Sonra Lubunya İnisiyatifi), 2014
[3] Dünyadan Örnekler: Yaşlı LGBTİ’leri Kapsayıcı Bir Hizmet Nasıl Olmalı, Kaos GL Dergisi Yaşlılık Sayısı (Damla Umut Uzun), 2018
[4] Yaşlı Ailesi ile Çalışma, Yaşlılık ve Sosyal Hizmet: Tüm Boyutlarıyla Kapsayıcı Bir Çerçeve kitabı içinde (Gülsüm Çamur Duyan), 2019
[5] Yaşlıya Bakım Verenlerle Çalışma, Yaşlılık ve Sosyal Hizmet: Tüm Boyutlarıyla Kapsayıcı Bir Çerçeve kitabı içinde (Türken Çağlar), 2019
[6] Best Practice Guidelines: Accommodating Older Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (GLBTI) People, GLBTI Retirement Association Incorporated (GRAI), 2015
*The article was originally written and published at KaosGL.org in Turkish and translated to English by Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights
