Judge says aged care needs to be GLBT-friendly

A High Court Judge speaks out for senior GLBT community members at a Sydney forum.

High Court Judge Michael Kirby has told a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) forum on ageing in Sydney that church-run aged care facilities need to be more ‘GLBT-friendly’.

According to news.com.au, Justice Kirby said the GLBT community faces inequality in the area of aged care provision.

Entitled Ageing Disgracefully, the forum was organised by ACON, a group dedicated to promoting the health needs of NSW’s GLBT community.

ACON’s president, Mark Orr said the state’s aged care services are ill-equipped to meet the needs of the growing number of openly gay senior citizens.

He added that government policy-makers have been slow to recognise the unique needs of mature GLBT people.

“Many older GLBT people are without children or have become estranged from family networks due to their sexuality,” said Mr Orr.

“So making sure they have access to relevant support groups and social networks is an effective way to prevent health issues related to loneliness and isolation.”

Tags: glbt,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement