VICTORIA NEWS - Wednesday, July 3, 2013
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Queer care options few in city Continued from Page A1
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She practised family medicine for 25 years in the community as an “out-of-the-closet” advocate. Now 70, Simkin has compounding disabilities, but refuses to go into a care facility. The one time she tried, she got as far as signing the lease, but overwhelming anxiety and an understanding son helped her back out. “I just knew, I absolutely couldn’t live there,” she says. “I like being in my home and I’m just more comfortable living out. Lying is a terrible thing.” It’s a situation Swanton has seen play out before. “This is largely what happens – friends looking after friends, because there are precious few other options in this city,” she says. “And it isn’t always the care staff people are worried about; it’s the people who will become your neighbours, how those folks feel about living beside ‘a queer’ and what that can mean.” South Island Pride held a meeting series in 2010 to discuss options for elderly care. More than 40 people of all backgrounds attended the first session, yet with a sense of panic, people wanted answers, not discussion. With none available, no one turned up to the following meetings. “The people who we see needing care now are people who, in their 20s and 30s, went through some pretty heavy stuff,” Swanton says. “They were the people on the front lines of ‘coming out,’ and whether or not our world has changed, they have not. They know the violence and brutality they’ve faced, and receiving care for them means going back into the closet.” The News contacted over a dozen senior care facilities in the region, including independent living, assisted living and home care, and the responses were identical: no staff had ever heard of housing any clients from the gay or lesbian community. This isn’t so surprising,
that people feel safe says Swanton, who where they live,” he reiterates the deeply says. “Making the historic privacy choice for assisted and secrecy of the living shouldn’t lifestyle. mean giving up your On the Island, lifestyle.” seniors have little As Victoria’s to reference other population ages, than the Residential Swanton says, Bill of Rights, which these discussions dictates that health, can’t happen soon safety and dignity be enough. paramount in care. “People will do Norm Peters, anything they can to director for Vancouver Island ‘Out’ seniors face distinct not be separated. It doesn’t matter how Health Authority’s challenges as they age. they have to explain Continuing Health it,” she says. “But there Gay, Bisexual and Services Contracts, is so much devastation Transgender Persons,” says the topic has in not being sure never been brought up, and will bring Pride that person will be inclusion discussions but should be. Due to allowed to be there up with two separate the inquiry from the committees focused on when you die, and it’s News, he is examining going to take a few ongoing care. the Toronto “LGBT generations for that to “We haven’t had Toolkit – For Creating be resolved.” these discussions yet, Culturally Competent news@mondaymag.com but it’s imperative Care for Lesbian,