Dementia Australia and ACON create online support space
Dementia Australia has launched a new LGBT+ Hub in partnership with ACON, with support from the Victorian government.
The online space is for LGBT+ people, families, carers and communities affected by dementia.
Across the hub, users can find resources, guides, community stories, advice on finding affirming doctors and links to state-based LGBT+ services.
Professor Tanya Buchanan, chief executive officer of Dementia Australia, said the hub aims to help LGBT+ people affected by dementia find inclusive support and information.
“People living with dementia who are members of the LGBT+ communities can sometimes experience heightened isolation, often linked to past discrimination, stigma and fear of not being accepted or understood,” Professor Buchanan said.
Dementia Australia worked with ACON to build the hub for LGBT+ communities and make it accessible to anyone.
According to Dementia Australia, the service was designed to recognise, respect and embrace LGBT+ people living with dementia.
Victorian Pride Centre launch
To mark the launch, Dementia Australia held a free event at the Victorian Pride Centre for LGBT+ community members and allies.
During the event, attendees received an introduction to the hub, took part in a dementia information session and joined a Q&A.
Dementia Australia Dementia Advocate Uncle Andrew Lovell, a member of the LGBT+ community and a proud Narungga man, supported the new resource.
“As a proud Narungga man, I know that culture, community and identity are medicine,” Uncle Andrew Lovell said.
He argued that LGBTQIA+ people living with dementia should never have to hide who they are.
ACON chief executive officer Michael Woodhouse described the project as a resource shaped by the lived experience of LGBT+ communities.
That partnership brought together dementia care expertise and LGBT+ inclusion expertise to help more people feel seen, supported and understood.
The hub is available at dementia.org.au/lgbt-people-and-dementia.
Dementia Australia provides information, education and services for more than 446,500 Australians living with dementia and more than 1.7 million people involved in their care.
