LGBTQ+ and dementia

By Rachel Johnstone, Dementia UK Regional Account Manager for South West and South East England.

June is Pride month, and this year marks 50 years of the Pride movement in the UK. Although we have come a long way in tackling stigma in this time, a new report by the charity Stonewall – LGBT in Britain: Health Report – shows that discrimination, hostility and unfair treatment in healthcare services are still commonplace.

They and their carers may face unique challenges. For example: 

• Heteronormative language (language that suggests that heterosexuality is the norm) can make people less likely to disclose their sexual orientation and prevent them developing a trusting relationship with health and social care professionals. To avoid making assumptions, it’s important to use terms such as ‘partner’ instead of ‘husband’ or ‘wife’ 
• The fear of discrimination can mean that people are driven to conceal their sexual or gender identity, which can lead to challenges around next of kin and the inclusion of loved ones in decisions about care  
• Looking at someone’s family history – an important tool in dementia assessments – may bring up painful memories of broken relationships in the past where someone hasn’t been accepting of the person’s sexual orientation, gender or trans status 
• LGBTQ+ people may have been affected by discrimination and hostile attitudes in the past, including from other health and social care services and professionals, or from support groups they have participated in. If a person feels isolated by both the diagnosis of dementia and their sexual orientation or gender identity, they are likely to feel especially vulnerable